i4 Business December 2018 - Business Leaders of the Year

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As Central Florida’s premier business publication, i4 Business showcases professionals in our most dynamic and influential industries, connecting individuals working to better our world through business. With an audience that includes the area’s leading influencers and decision-makers, i4 Business partners with those looking to connect with that audience through the power of their story and the value of their service. These comprehensive profiles are included in the print and digital magazine, published online at i4Biz.com and promoted through i4 Business’ social media channels.

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Few indicators signal the health of a region like construction. Learn about developers, contractors and architects leading the way.

Recognizing some of the most influential and inspiring women business leaders in the region.

One of the largest employment sectors, it is also one of the highest-paying and is bringing national recognition to Central Florida.

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ATHENA

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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ATHENAPowerLink is an advisory program which guides women business owners, whose companies are poised for growth, in defining and achieving tangible goals by providing them with access to a panel of business advisors.

Learn more at athenaorlando.com

HOMES END HOMELESSNESS.

Right now, hundreds of Central Floridians are chronically homeless. Unable to break the cycle due to serious physical or mental health challenges, they’ve spent years living on the streets.

Risking incarceration. Requiring emergency care. This complicated challenge has a simple solution. Housing First.

Visit HomesAreTheAnswer.org to learn how Housing First saves lives, saves money and gets those in the greatest need off the streets for good.

4 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

i4 Business Advisory Board WE’D LIKE TO THANK OUR ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS FOR KEEPING THEIR FINGERS ON THE PULSE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPING US BRING YOU THE BEST STORIES FROM AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA.

Thank You

Judi Awsumb, Awsumb Enterprises Jim Bowie, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Jackie Brito, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College Elaine Brouca, Consulate General of Canada Office in Miami Cari Coats, Accendo Leadership Advisory Group John Davis, Orlando Economic Partnership Laura Dorsey, African American Chamber of Commerce Carol Ann Dykes Logue, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program

This Month's Featured Advisory Board Members Carol Ann Dykes Logue

As site manager of the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubator at Research Park, Carol Ann Dykes Logue uses her expertise in technology, business, information research and communicat ions to emp ower lo cal entrepreneurs and connect them with resources throughout the communit y. With a background in both biology and education, as well as a master’s degree in library and information science, and extensive experience in business aspects such as market analysis and commercialization, her insights are indispensable to businesses throughout Central Florida.

Hope Edwards Newsome Hope Edwards Newsome serves as general counsel and chief compliance officer for Triloma Financial Group, where she monitors and translates the language of changing policies and regulations in order to best serve the team. She has provided guidance to firms throughout Central Florida for more than 15 years.

She also serves as secretary and general counsel for ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership, which allows her to offer her expertise to professionals throughout the community. .

Harry Ellis, Next Horizon Susan Fernandez, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Lena Graham-Morris, HORUS Construction Gwen Hewitt, United Negro College Fund Karen Keene, ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership and Dean Mead Attorneys at Law Shelley Lauten, Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Lisa Lochridge, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Catherine Losey, Losey PLLC law firm Hope Edwards Newsome, Triloma Financial Group Romaine Seguin, UPS Global Freight Forwarding Mary Shanklin, Fifth Estate Media Marni Spence, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Robert Utsey, Coastal Construction

Catherine Losey The founder of Losey PLLC, Catherine Losey represents companies from a diverse range of industries on workplace topics. In both her experience with Losey PLLC and previous work as counsel and a commercial litigator, Losey has worked to use her knowledge to help her clients understand and navigate policies and potential risks. Her knowledge of legal, compliance and technology issues lends itself to an invaluable skill set for businesses and their leadership.

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 5

®

Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Features DECEMBER 2018

2018 BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS

18

Business Leader of the Year

Harris Rosen

Rosen Hotels & Resorts

22

Tourism

George Aguel Visit Orlando

24

2018

Entrepreneurship

Angela Alban

SIMETRI

26

Technology

Harry Ellis Next Horizon

28

Healthcare

Olive Gaye

36 Safety First

Human Approach is the Best Route to Luminar’s Autonomous Vehicles

GenCare Resources

30

Social Entrepreneur

Karen Keene

ATHENA Orlando Women’s Leadership

32

Economic Development

Jerry Ross

National Entrepreneur Center

34

Talent Pipeline

Dr. Sandy Shugart Valencia College

6 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

65 Located at ®

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A CATALYST FOR GROWTH

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And, of course, shipping.

The UPS StoreŽ locations are independently owned and operated by franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc. in the USA and by its master licensee and its franchisees in Canada. Services, pricing and hours of operation may vary by location. Copyright Š 2018 The UPS Store, Inc.

Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

BEST PRACTICES

DEPARTMENTS

46

11

GUEST EXPERT COLUMNS

Saying Goodbye: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu Romaine Seguin | UPS Global Freight Forwarding

48

Online Reviews Can Help Guide Customers to Your Business Kaitlyn Study | South Street & Co.

50

Do You Understand Your Company’s Strategic Landscape?

Ronald J. Recardo | The Catalyst Consulting Group LLC

52

About Commercial Real Estate Investing Debra Mairs | FAIRWINDS Credit Union

54

The Relationship Between Diversity and Marketing Cherise Czaban | i4 Business

SPOTLIGHTS

40

Publisher’s Perspective

13

From the Editor

14

Business Briefs

16

Take 5 with Visit Orlando 6 Who Impacted Tourism in 2018

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TREP TALK Three Dynamite Ideas for the Holidays

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Social Entrepreneur Life Without Limits: UCP of Central Florida Provides a Haven for Learning and Growth

61

Business Seens

64

Watercooler

C. Russell Slappey | Nperspective

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Grennan Fender Hess & Poparad LLP

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DECEMBER 2018 $4.95

Vogel Realty Services and Shelter Mortgage

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James Athens Jr. | Fidelity Bank of Florida

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Journey to Success Urban Air and Fidelity Bank of Florida

8 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

ON THE COVER Harris Rosen Photography provided by Rosen Hotels & Resorts

COVER CREATED BY HARRIS

ROSEN

2018

Tanya Mutton Sidekick Creations

CEO | PUBLISHER Cherise Czaban

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Diane Sears

DIRECTOR OF ENCOURAGEMENT Donna Duda

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Meaghan Branham

i4 Business offers a direct line to the thriving community of innovators and influencers in Central Florida

DIGITAL BRAND MANAGER Elyssa Coultas

MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY Julie Fletcher

ART DIRECTOR

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2018 SEPTEMBER $4.95

Susan Howard, APR

OCTOBER

CONTRIBUTORS Writers:

Meaghan Branham, Elyssa Coultas, Alisha Crabtree, Cherise Czaban, Debra Mairs, Jeff Piersall, Ronald Recardo, Diane Sears, Romaine Seguin, Kaitlyn Study, Eric Wright Photography: Julie Fletcher, Jason Hook, Seamus Payne

EXPLOSIVE H GR OW TIEN CE FR OM SC TO SA LE S

Barnie's

Coffee & Tea

H THRIVING WIT GY: TECHNOLO ure Region's Fut g urin in Manufact

Dr. Phillips Center

and FAIRWINDS Starter Studio

UpClose with

For Diagnost is Taking Fli ics ght Aviana Molecular Technologi es

Ph il Du m as

UNIKE The KEY isY

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NOVEMBER 2018 $4.95

There Sh ld Be No KEou Y Visit Orlando: Golf Innovation

STANDING TALL rris

Lena Graham-Mo

Satellite STEM

Special Secti on Young Profe ssionals

UpClose with Carol Ann Dyke s Logue

CenterState Bank Expands Presence in Orlando

Navigating the M&A Game Small Companies Get Big Help

i4 Business is a participating member of:

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ADVERTISING Cherise Czaban 321.848.3530

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True Made Foods Win

Visit Orlando: Southern Hospitality

Housing First Program

Changing the Training Paradigm

Some Local Firms at I/ITSEC

Trep Talk: Saying Thanks

UpClose with Steve Quello

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Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

WOMEN’S INSPIRED LEADERSHIP

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Tel. 407-730-2961 | i4biz.com The contents of i4 Business magazine, i4biz.com and any other media extensions related to the brand, including advertisements, articles, graphics, websites, web postings and all other information (“contents”) published, are for informational purposes only. i4 Business® and all other affiliated brands do not necessarily endorse, verify, or agree with the contents contained in i4 Business. i4 Business makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced. i4 Business shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions. © 2018. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Publisher's Perspective

INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

— Ronald Reagan

F

or the past five years the December issue of i4 Business has recognized key business leaders in the Central Florida community.

adapted as their business has grown, and how they are impacting both their companies and the Central Florida community.

T h i s ye a r ’s ho no r e e s j o i n a n impressive list of leaders. It’s a privilege to recognize them at our event and tell their stories in the magazine. The common traits I see in our award winners are passion, impact and perseverance. You’ll read about what inspired them, lessons they learned along the way, the challenges they may have faced, how they have

I hope you enjoy reading their stories as much as our team enjoyed writing them … we were inspired by each of them, and I know you will be, too.

To your success,

CEO and Publisher

Favorite quotes from this issue "My philosophy is very simple. It’s just to treat other people the way I would like to be treated, and to respect them as much as they might respect me, and to do whatever I can to make their lives as comfortable as I possibly can."

— Harris Rosen, Page 18

"I have the good fortune of being the spokesperson for this industry and speaking for all it represents here in Orlando. It’s a privilege I enjoy. I don’t forget that we’re part of an industry that’s the No. 1 employer in our area."

— George Aguel, Page 22

"It takes time to find what your true passion is, and it takes time and commitment to build something that is consistent with who you are and who you want to be."

"That’s a big differentiator with us — we’re always trying to lift the community up with us as we grow."

— Angela Alban, Page 24

— Harry Ellis, Page 26

"I know we all make a difference — it could be good and it could be bad.

As a leader, I have the opportunity to make a positive difference."

"Passion is first, absolutely. I’m a strong supporter of seeing women who have remarkable talents and diverse backgrounds be brought to the forefront."

— Karen Keene, Page 30

"Failure is not permanent. Failure is only temporary. But learning those lessons in times of struggle made me a better manager and a better leader."

"Our vision is to change the trajectory of 5,000 families a year with programs like that. We’re scaling it now. We’ve got a ways to go, but it’s looking very promising."

—Olive Gaye, Page 28

— Jerry Ross, Page 32

— Dr. Sandy Shugart, Page 34 i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 11

Communication and delivery platforms continually change and evolve. The constant in that change is the power of story. Print or digital, whatever platform you use, we have a way for you to connect to that story.

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From the Editor

Leadership in the age of Big Data

T

here’s nothing like a good dose of data talk to get the blood flowing for a nerd like me. I was at a Data Science Summit on October 19 at the University of Central Florida, where speakers and panelists spoke about how to make our homes, workplaces, cities, roads, nation and world operate more effectively through the use of data.

According to a study by global management consulting firm Accenture and quoted in Forbes magazine as one of the top statistics on today’s data trends, 79 percent of enterprise executives say companies that do not embrace Big Data will lose their competitive position and could face extinction. About 83 percent of respondents said their organizations have pursued Big Data projects to seize a competitive edge.

And large enterprises are watching small companies closely because Big Data can be an equalizer in business.

Consider this quote from a blog on IBM’s Big Data and Analytics Hub: “Not every startup is going to become a world-changing behemoth, but when a small, agile company hits on a truly disruptive idea, it can transform an entire industry. That’s a serious concern for market leaders, who fear that their dominant position could be eroded in just a few years if they fail to evolve at the pace of these nimble new competitors.”

At the Data Science Summit, Dr. Lea Shanley from the Chapel Hill area of North Carolina led a panel about “Smart Cities – Building a Real Tomorrowland.” She’s a co-executive director of the South Big Data Innovation Hub, one of four hubs nationwide sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The panel discussed topics ranging from how personal devices can be used to track people’s movements to how organizations can maintain a diverse science workforce.

The panelists highlighted today’s use of data in all kinds of careers. “This is like the golden age of digital and data analytics,” said Michael Tschanz, director of technology and analysis at the Walt Disney Company. His job is to study how to use data in theme park transportation, rides and animatronics.

He spoke about how fortunate today’s UCF students are to be able to study data using today’s technology. Amen.

I remember taking computer science courses in the mid-1980s at the University of Florida. We didn’t have laptop and desktop computers. Instead, we stood in line for a chance to sit at a keyboard and punch holes into IBM cards that would form a stack we could then load into a machine to read. That machine would spit out a paper rendering of a computer program we had written, with each punch card representing one data point. Carrying those cards across campus was a challenge. They were bound by rubber bands, and if you dropped the stack, cards would fly out everywhere, out of order, and that meant starting over. Yes, we’ve come a long way.

Another panelist expressed the same sentiment: “What a great time to be alive. For those who love data, there’s never been a better time.” That was Shane Mickey, vice president of strategic planning at Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas.

At the magazine we’re using data to streamline production of the print publication, led by our publisher, Cherise Czaban, and our communications manager, Meaghan Branham. We’re also using data to gauge the reach of our digital initiatives, including our digital magazine, website and social media, under the leadership of our digital brand manager, Elyssa Coultas.

There are so many applications to big data. No matter what job you’re in or what kind of organization you’re leading, data comes into play. How you manage it, and how you lead your team to harness its power, is up to you.

Have a great month!

Editor-in-Chief

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 13

Business Briefs

African American Chamber of Commerce Names Tanisha Nunn Gary as New President and CEO The African American Chamber of Commerce Central Florida has named Tanisha Nunn Gary as its new president and CEO. An attorney who operates her own firm, the Law Office of Tanisha Gary PLLC, she was identif ied after an extensive search. On its website, the chamber said Gary brings to the organization an ability to understand the needs, challenges and aspirations

of businesses of all types and sizes, and that her extensive private sector and corporate experience along with her decades of legal expertise bring a new perspective to the organization.

Established in 1945, the chamber serves public, private and not-for-profit African Amer ican- ow ne d organizat ions in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties.

Orange County Moves Forward with Convention Center Upgrades

Plans are in the works for $605 million in capital improvements at the Orange County Convention Center that are designed to allow Central Florida to compete for additional events. The funding has been approved by the Orange County Commission. Work will be on the North-South Building and will include: a Convention Way grand concourse, an enclosed connection between the North and South concourses that includes additional meeting space and an 80,000-square-foot ballroom with a grand entrance to the North-South Building along Convention Way; and a multipurpose venue, a 200,000-square-foot flexible column-free space with a combination of retractable and floor seating to accommodate 18,000 to 20,000 guests. This project will incorporate connectivity between the North and South concourses and will add to the convention center’s 7 million square feet of space. “We spent the last two years talking with clients and evaluating our own campus to find the best projects that will help us maintain our spot as the No. 1 meeting destination in the country,” said Jessie Allen, the center’s interim executive director. “Securing the funding will enable us to ramp up for an exciting time of development and growth at the Center of Hospitality.”

Business 14 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

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Please be aware that we work two to three months in advance of our publication date. Submit press releases and announcements to press@i4biz.com.

Innovation

Education

Business Briefs

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Adding Ballroom, Event Space The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is doubling its current ballroom space with a project that broke ground in midOctober and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2019. A new 25,000-squarefoot ballroom will bring to 102,000 square feet the amount of flexible meeting space at the resort, which is located adjacent to Walt Disney World. The expansion by owner Xenia Hotels & Resorts follows a $10 million guestroom renovation. The 1,500acre resort includes six food and beverage areas, a full-service spa, beachfront access along Lake Windsong, heated and nonheated pools, and preferred access to 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus signature-designed golf courses. “While much of the resort offers a leisure vacation experience,” General Manager Paul Joseph said, “we want to reward our loyal guests with new experiences and capture group customers who need more function space than we were able to provide in the past.”

New National Law Enforcement Museum Honors Osceola County Corrections Officer

UCF and Siemens Partner on Big Data Project for Smart Infrastructure

An Osceola County corrections officer who showed courage in a life-or-death situation has been recognized with a life-size statue in her image at the new National Law Enforcement Museum that opened Oct. 11 in Washington, DC. While performing her routine duties one day in 2009, Reeshemah Taylor foiled the escape attempt of an inmate who smuggled a gun into the jail and took a corrections officer hostage. When she encountered the inmate and he pointed the gun at her head, she grabbed the weapon and delivered knee spikes to the inmate’s groin, disarming him. She was awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor by then-Vice President Joe Biden. The statue of her is in a section of the museum devoted to the field of corrections. The museum gives visitors a chance to “walk in the shoes” of law enforcement officers. “I am immensely proud of Officer Taylor and of the recognition the National Law Enforcement Museum has bestowed upon her,” said Osceola County Corrections Chief Bryan Holt. “To know the Osceola County Corrections Department will be represented in our nation’s capital for future generations is truly humbling.”

The Universit y of Cent ral F l o r i d a a n d S i e m e n s h av e announced a big data collaboration focused on advancing smart inf rastructure technolog ies.

The project, which expands a 30-year partnership between the two, is aimed at improving the performance and efficiency of buildings and the energy grid by harnessing the power of data. The collaboration will include software and hardware to be installed at UCF’s Smart Infrastructure Data Analytics Lab, expected to be fully operational in early 2019, and will incorporate the existing Siemens Digital Grid Lab. Traditional building automation that integrates and controls a structure’s operations from HVAC, lighting and security to other

Tourism

Growth

systems now also includes digital mechanisms to link these systems together, gather data and analyze operations to provide better decision-making for building operators. Using Siemens software platforms, students and faculty will learn how to conduct indepth research on data analytics focused on building systems. “We look forward to partnering with Siemens to help build and shape the smart cities of tomorrow,” UCF President Dale Whittaker said. “Together, we will prepare our students to meet the data science workforce demands of the future and produce technology efficiencies and innovations in infrastructure and energy that will benefit our community and our nation for decades to come.”

Inspiration i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 15

TAKE

with Official tourism association for America’s most visited destination.

6 2018

Who Impacted Tourism in

Congratulations to Visit Orlando’s own George Aguel for being named the i4 Business Tourism Leader of the Year — and what a year it was ... for our entire industry! Here are five additional leaders who also stand out for their significant contributions to tourism in 2018.

DON ENGFER

Executive Vice President Tishman Hotel Corporation, and Chair of Visit Orlando This summer, Tishman Hotel Corporation acquired three Orlandoarea hotel properties, adding to its already impressive portfolio.

Tishman’s EVP, Don Engfer, is responsible for many of the company’s assets, including the 2,270-room Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, which just broke ground on a 14-story, 349-room tower that will open in 2020. Always a strong advocate for the destination, Engfer is completing a two-year term as chairman of the Visit Orlando board of directors.

PHIL BROWN

CEO Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Now serving more than 46 million passengers per year, Orlando International Airport recently surpassed Miami as Florida’s busiest airport — and 13th busiest in the nation. Under the leadership of Phil Brown, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, OIA was ranked highest in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row. The facility’s current and most ambitious expansion to date, including a new terminal and major infrastructure improvements, will further increase efficiency, revenue and passenger traffic for America’s most-visited destination.

KATHIE CANNING

Former Executive Director Orange County Convention Center After 33 years at the Orange County Convention Center, Kathie Canning — a member of the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame — retired as executive director of the nation’s second-largest convention facility. Canning’s legacy came to fruition this year with a green light to begin the center’s $605 million capital improvement plan, a project that will add more than 200,000 square feet for exhibits and meetings, as well as multipurpose seating for up to 20,000 people, a large ballroom and an enclosed walkway between the North and South Concourses.

16 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

GEORGE AGUEL President and CEO of Visit Orlando

REFLECTIONS ON 2018 Another great year for tourism in Orlando

I

t’s an honor to be included among the outstanding business leaders featured in this month’s edition of i4 Business — but we all recognize that our success is also the result of practicing our profession in a dynamic industry.

CHUCK WHITTALL President Unicorp National Developments

Orlando’s entertainment and retail landscape continues to evolve and grow with the help of community pillars such as Unicorp’s Chuck Whittall, the commercial real estate developer behind Orlando StarFlyer (which launched this summer as the world’s tallest swing ride) and ICON Orlando (tallest observational wheel on America’s East Coast).

Look for more developments in the future, too, as Whittall has announced plans to add a drop tower ride, a powered zipline and the world’s tallest double slingshot at the ICON Orlando 360 entertainment complex on I-Drive.

DR. ABRAHAM PIZAM Founding Dean Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida

Since its inception, UCF’s award-winning Rosen College of Hospitality Management has been responsible for educating some of the industry’s top achievers. The world-class hospitality program was founded by Dr. Abraham Pizam, who retired from the dean’s position this summer after 35 years of service. Pizam was inducted into the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame in November for his dedication to the field, and after a sabbatical, he plans to continue his commitment to education by returning to the classroom as a professor.

In my position, I’m proud to represent a destination that continues to evolve and grow, not only as an outstanding place to live, work and play, but also as a place that offers more every year for leisure and business travelers. As 2018 comes to a close, it’s only fitting to reflect on a few of our many accomplishments.

We started the year by celebrating a record 72 million visitors in 2017 — and more good news kept coming, with strong monthly performances in key areas such as hotel occupancy, air passenger traffic and revenue from tourist development taxes.

Our lodging sector responded to increased demand by adding more than 2,700 hotel rooms, a trend that will continue next year, too, when another 4,900 rooms are slated to come online. By January 2020, we expect the Orlando market to have more than 128,000 hotel rooms — a 50 percent increase from 1996.

Our theme parks also had much to celebrate, with the launch of several new attractions and experiences.

Most notably, Walt Disney World Resort debuted its Toy Story Land, Universal Orlando Resort launched the Fast & Furious – Supercharged attraction, and SeaWorld Orlando opened its Infinity Falls river ride.

On the convention front, Orlando was once again named Cvent’s top meetings destination, and the Orange County Convention Center recorded one of its best years for attendance.

Overall, 2018 has been spectacular in many ways for America’s most-visited destination, and we expect that momentum to carry us well into 2019. Here’s to another great year, Orlando!

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 17

2018

HARRIS ROSEN [ROSEN HOTELS & RESORTS]

By Diane Sears

18 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Rosen and his brother were at the public library one day when a sightseeing bus pulled up. The boys, curious, watched people come off. They heard two women say, “So this is how they live.” Rosen later asked his mother what the women meant. “Not everyone lives the same way,” she told him.

Rosen became the first person in his family to go to college and the first to enter the military as an officer. “The impossible American dream happened to me,” he says today. His life changed when he risked all of his savings on a business investment. It was thrilling, it was scary, and it was a stretch out of his comfort zone.

It was 1974, and vacationers couldn’t afford to drive to Central Florida because an oil embargo

by Arab nations was keeping gas prices high.

Hotel occupancy rates hovered at less than 30 percent — nowhere near the 79.3 percent Orlando recorded in 2017. Rosen had just lost his job helping plan the launch of Walt Disney World’s hotels and campground, and he was thinking about going into business for himself.

He drove past a 256-room Quality Inn near Sand Lake Road and International Drive, and he liked the way it looked. He pulled in and asked the person at the front desk whether he could speak with the general manager or the owner.

After a short wait in the lobby, he saw the owner come toward him.

“I stood up, extended my hand and said, ‘Sir, I’m Harris Rosen and I’m interested in buying a hotel.’ He took a step toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and said, ‘God has sent you!’”

The owner had been devastated by the oil crisis. He had let go of most of his staff and was working so many hours that he hadn’t seen his wife and children in weeks. He offered to set up a meeting with his lender.

I stood up, extended my hand and said, ‘Sir, I’m Harris Rosen and I’m interested in buying a hotel.’ He took a step toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and said, ‘God has sent you!

Rosen arrived at the meeting with a resume showing he had graduated from Cornell University with a major in hotel administration, had served time in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant in Asia and Europe, and had worked for some of the biggest names in hospitality, including the Waldorf-Astoria, where he had come to love the hotel business by shadowing his father as a boy. The lender seemed impressed.

“Then he asked me a rather strange question, and I’ll never forget it,” Rosen recalls. “He said, ‘Harris, how much money do you have in the bank?’” When the lender heard Rosen had $20,000 in savings, he extended a hand to seal the deal, and Rosen assumed a mortgage of $2.5 million.

Rosen had a plan, and he went to work on it right away. He knew the motorcoach companies in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts were first in line to get gasoline supplies because they were bigger customers than individual consumers.

He asked each company to write on the back of one of his business cards a room rate they would like him to offer their passengers for the next two years. He promised to honor those rates.

The traffic the motorcoaches brought was enough to sustain the hotel until the economy turned around. In the meantime, Rosen wore about seven hats, handling duties for jobs ranging from landscaper to night manager. He calculates he saved as much as $250,000 a year he would have paid out in wages. He soon made a deal to acquire a second hotel that had been hit hard by the economy.

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

W

ith a collection of nine hotels and nearly 7,000 guestrooms along Orlando’s bustling International Drive tourist corridor, Harris Rosen still remembers being a young boy in New York City near the Bowery, where homeless people slept against columns beneath the elevated train.

His parents, both born to immigrants, were doing their best to raise two boys.

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 19

“All I thought of was surviving,” Rosen says. “After that second purchase, I started to think about the future and what might be in store for me. The first two years, I was working seven days a week, 15 to 17 hours a day, focused laser-like on staying alive and making sure we operated as successfully as we possibly could.”

He lived in one of the guestrooms in the Quality Inn for 16 years, eventually making it his office, where he still works today. He remembers what it was like to exist without money, and this has helped him connect with people.

Rosen is legendary for his generosity with associates as well as his philanthropic work in the community.

About 28 years ago, he created a primary care medical facility for his employees, and he has expanded it since.

Employees visit it on the clock, and the company provides transportation. He created an insurance company so he could offer associates the highest coverage at the lowest cost to them. He instituted a program to pay for their children to attend college. He offers bonuses and profit sharing, and not just for supervisors.

As a result, his employees are loyal. The company’s turnover is just over 10 percent, mostly from retirements, compared with more than 50 percent in the rest of the industry.

As his company kept growing, Rosen wanted to do more. He established The Harris Rosen Foundation, and today he continues to invest in the community in a variety of initiatives. He donated $18 million to build the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, which opened in 2004, and has supported it with annual scholarships amounting to $3.6 million to date. His $9.6 million in funding helped

build and expand the Jack and Lee Rosen Southwest Orlando Jewish Community Center, and most recently the Rosen YMCA Aquatic Center was named in his honor for his continuous efforts and contributions to improve the facility.

He invested in helping rebuild Haiti after the 2010 earthquake in honor of his Haitian associates. In 1993, he adopted the Tangelo Park community in west Orlando, where he provides free childcare, funds a parent resource center, and pays tuition, room, board and books for students who continue their education after high school. In 2016, he adopted the Parramore neighborhood in downtown Orlando, funding a similar program that is five times larger. His greatest hope is that others will replicate these programs across the country.

“When you put it all together, people really do appreciate how much you care for them,” Rosen says.

“My philosophy is very simple. It’s just to treat other people the way I would like to be treated, and to respect them as much as they might respect me, and to do whatever I can to make their lives as comfortable as I possibly can.”

Rosen is also a champion of the I-Drive area, where he plans to expand his hotel operations as the Orange County Convention Center grows.

“Whatever progress we make here, there is a multiplier effect,” he says. He points out that the hotel linens, food, housing, clothing, construction materials, vehicles and other items people who work on I-Drive purchase come from other areas of Central Florida and beyond. “I-Drive is a huge benefactor for all businesses in Central Florida. There’s no doubt about that.” ◆

CONGRATULATIONS to our

2018 HONOREES Thank you to all of our sponsors. Your commitment to the community and those who contribute to its economic growth is greatly appreciated.

Corporate Sponsors

2018

GEORGE AGUEL [VISIT ORLANDO]

By Diane Sears

W

This year, Orlando became the first U.S. destination to top the 70 million visitor mark. In fact, the region saw 72 million visitors in 2017, and the local tourism industry shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon — not on Aguel’s watch.

“I have the good fortune of being the spokesperson for this industry and speaking for all it represents here in Orlando,” he said. “It’s a privilege I enjoy. I don’t forget that we’re part of an industry that’s the No. 1 employer in our area. It accounts for 41 percent of all jobs in this region and generates an economic impact of $70 billion.”

Aguel has been an avid tourism ambassador for as long as he can remember. Ask him any question, and he can quote the latest visitation figures off the top of his head. He can chat about Orlando International Airport, the theme parks, and the hotels, attractions and restaurants that make Orlando a unique destination. He was born for this job.

He didn’t seek the position initially. As a 23year veteran of the Walt Disney Company, Aguel was senior vice president of global corporate alliances and operating participants and was serving on the board of Visit Orlando when its president and CEO, his friend Gary Sain, died suddenly in May 2012. Aguel was asked to step in.

Today, whether he’s admiring motorcycles at Daytona Beach’s Bike Week or visiting a theme park with his family, Aguel is wearing his tourism ambassador hat, sharing with everyone he meets his passion for what Orlando has to offer.

The focus is not just on leisure visitors, but also on business travelers. With a staff of about 175 and approximately 1,200 member companies, Visit Orlando is contracted by Orange County to promote events at the Orange County Convention Center, which saw record attendance in 2017. Long known as a champion of diversity

We have evolved into becoming identified as a destination that respects and values everyone. and inclusion, Aguel is especially proud of the way Orlando welcomes visitors from all kinds of backgrounds and every country in the world.

He was born in Cuba and moved to the U.S. at age 4 with his parents and his brother, and his background has allowed him to establish personal connections that help make Orlando a welcoming place to live and to visit.

“We have evolved into becoming identified as a destination that respects and values everyone,” Aguel said. “We’ve made it wellknown to a very significant segment of the population, both domestically and globally, that we embrace everyone.”

Aguel noted that Orlando’s support for diversity was no more clear than when the region — and world — united in the aftermath of the 2016 Pulse nightclub tragedy, which included many victims from the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities. The OnePULSE Foundation is developing a memorial and museum to educate future generations on the importance of acceptance. Visit Orlando has supported the foundation’s efforts with research and marketing counsel, and looks forward to continued collaboration.

TOURISM

hen George Aguel was named president and CEO of Visit Orlando in 2013, the region’s tourism bureau touted a $31.7 billion hospitality and travel industry that welcomed more than 56 million tourists annually.

With plans in the works for expansions of the convention center, the airport, the theme parks and the hotel districts, Aguel and the Visit Orlando team are getting ready to accommodate even larger numbers of travelers — some from markets that are relatively untapped, including China.

“There’s a point in the future where we’re going to see more visitors from Asia,” Aguel said. “That will be another key milestone moment when we establish that connection. That will be great.” ◆

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 23

2018

ANGELA ALBAN [SIMETRI]

By Meaghan Branham

24 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Alban was impressed by the collaboration in Lake Nona among local and regional government entities, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the universities and industry.

“I decided to start SIMETRI because there were opportunities within the DOD that were beginning to grow when it came to research in developing new training technologies regarding simulation for medical training,” she said.

Nearly a decade later, the company she serves as CEO has been recognized by the DOD for its cutting-edge technologies, designed to ensure the most thorough and realistic medical training. “We are probably most known for pioneering anatomical models — hyperrealistic but reusable, affordable anatomical models,” Alban said. “They resemble human flesh, physiology and anatomy for the purposes of training-specific, life-saving procedures.”

The seeds of an entrepreneurial spirit were planted for Alban when she was very young. She describes how her grandfather and uncle, originally from small South American towns, both took a chance in moving to Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, to start their own companies, slowly bringing the rest of their family along with them.

“I knew it was possible,” she said of entrepreneurship. “It was just a matter of taking the risk and working hard.”

Later, her parents would carry on this emphasis on hard work and independence.

“My mom was always working, but she was always present and devoted to us,” Alban said.

“I didn’t really notice until I was older that she would leave at night to work as a nurse while we were sleeping. She was always there for us in the morning and in the afternoon and at every school meeting or function, not

We are probably most known for pioneering anatomical models — hyper-realistic but reusable, affordable anatomical models. to mention the most influential person in my life. The most important example she set was as a strong and involved mother. She set the bar higher than anyone else in my life.”

Through demanding days and groundbreaking achievements, Alban’s role models worked to build their professional and social lives around one central, most important priority: their family. Alban has kept that legacy in mind in her own pursuits.

“Find what your passion is and never forget it,” she said. “For me, that’s family — both with my children and even beyond that. Our corporate culture is ‘family first.’ I started SIMETRI so I could put my family first and allow others to do the same. We make sure everyone here can do that. You have to take care of employees as if they are your family and allow them to nurture their own families.”

Taking care of people also drives her community involvement. “I grew up here, and I’ve seen this community grow and change,” Alban said. “I want to give back to the community that has been such a positive force in my life and support causes that I know will make an impact for the future of Central Florida.” Those include the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida, and the Samaritan Research Center for the Homeless in East Orange County.

Alban encourages other people, whether they are entrepreneurs or not, to identify their passion. This gives them a foundation, and they can build from there.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

W

hen Angela Alban founded simulation and training company SIMETRI in 2009, Lake Nona Medical City was just starting to take shape near Orlando International Airport. She had grown up in Orlando, later earning a degree in computer science and mathematics from Emory University in Atlanta before returning and pursuing both a career with a local simulation company and graduate school at the University of Central Florida (UCF).

“It takes time to find what your true passion is,” she said. “And it takes time and commitment to build something that is consistent with who you are and who you want to be.”

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 25

2018

HARRY ELLIS III [NEXT HORIZON]

By Elyssa Coultas

26 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and enrolled in technology, design and development courses at Seminole State College.

After attaining his bachelor of science in information technology and master’s degree in computer forensics at the University of Central Florida, Ellis found himself working closely with his father at Next Horizon, leading the company into new domains. In 2010, Ellis took over the family business. “I have a more entrepreneurial spirit, whereas my father was more focused on the software development,” Ellis said. “I started operating with a completely different mindset.”

Ellis has managed to double or triple the size of the company in employees and revenue year after year. He looked for ways to streamline the growth process by balancing government contracts with private deals without relying too heavily on one sector. In 2017, Next Horizon added numerous prestigious clients to its roster, including Florida Autism Center, AAA and Adventist Health System. As a result, the company is on track to hit its projected goal of $4 million in annual revenue.

Next Horizon attributes a large part of its success to recruiting and retaining top IT and leadership talent, and to explaining which strategies or software could benefit the client day to day. Ellis and his team bridge the gap between technology being viewed as an expense and understood as a tool.

“We’re here to focus on three things: to increase the clients’ sales, to increase their productivity, and to enhance their profitability,” Ellis said. “We equip them with the technology to do that. We are able to make IT make sense for companies.”

Ellis also expanded Next Horizon’s services, which now include web design, software development, IT managed services, web hosting, marketing, search engine optimization, ecommerce, computer forensics and cloud

My goal is to ensure that we’re staying up with the latest technology for our current customers, while figuring out what’s next for us. It could be anything. It depends on where technology takes us. computing. “Usually you have boutique web development firms, software development firms, or an IT firm, but it’s very rare to find a company that does all three points equally,” Ellis said.

Because of the company’s ability to provide any web service under one roof, Next Horizon reports a 98 percent customer retention rate.

This reduces time spent in search of clients.

At the same time, Ellis makes it a priority to keep a family work environment and give back to the Orlando and Sanford communities. “That’s a big differentiator with us,” he said. “We’re always trying to lift the community up with us as we grow.”

Ellis is proud to proclaim that “giving back” is a core value at Next Horizon. He takes a personal approach to marketing and business by actively engaging in the community. Next Horizon supports numerous charitable and community organizations, including the Foundation for Seminole State College, Boys Scouts, the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Seminole County Sheriff’s Foundation, Rotary International and Seminole County Public Schools.

To provide opportunities for students in the community, Ellis established the Marvine F. Ellis Endowed Scholarship at Seminole State in memory of his mother. Next Horizon also endowed a second scholarship at Seminole State for entrepreneurship and helped complete the Seminole State Alumni Scholarship.

TECHNOLOGY

A

fter seeing firsthand his parents’ struggles and the hurdles involved in running a small company, Harry Ellis III, CIO and president of Next Horizon, initially wanted nothing to do with technology or the family business. He dreamt of becoming an architect. But after enrolling in a few courses, he quickly realized architecture was not his calling. Instead of giving up, Ellis looked for his next horizon.

He looks to the future and anticipates more community involvement, continuing the daily challenge of adapting to emerging technologies and looking for new ways to expand. ◆

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 27

2018

OLIVE GAYE, [GENCARE RESOURCES]

By Meaghan Branham

28 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

MBA

“She was poised and sophisticated, and we shared a passion for tea and fine china. She was an older woman, my friend and mentor, and we spent many evenings sharing tea and scones as she reminisced about her travels through Europe with her late husband.

“Fast-forward a few years,” says the founder and president of GenCare Resources Home Healthcare, “and I had unfortunately lost touch with her. When I finally went back to visit, my friend was relying on home care to maintain her independence rather than moving to a facility.

I always knew she didn’t want to end her life in an institution, but I did not think she was receiving the care befitting someone of her dignity, sophistication and indominable spirit.

The experience of seeing my friend receive substandard home care was not the only concept that gave birth to GenCare, but it still influences the company’s culture.”

It’s clear the core of Gaye’s mission is and always has been compassion. Whether with her clients, her staff or her community, her respect for others is rooted in an understanding of people and their individuality — that they are their stories and their experiences, their passions and their spirit. They are not their illnesses. And it has led her to create a community and a culture within GenCare that she hopes will only grow.

Watching her mentor’s experience inspired Gaye to give up her job as a human resources executive with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority in 2013 to form a healthcare company.

Armed with a master’s degree from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, encouragement from her husband, faith and a study of the industry, Gaye decided to turn her passion for helping others into a sustainable business.

“I studied the market and did my research,” Gaye says. “I thought at first I was just going to help the elderly at home — take them to the doctor, remind them to take medication. Very quickly I realized that by the time people are at

When ill people need help, you give it to them in a respectful, dignified manner, because one day you may be the one in that position. that stage, they need so much more, so I applied for my home healthcare license, which would allow me to provide care on a broader level.”

Now, just six years later, Gaye finds herself leading a staff of more than 70 nurses, with segments in home healthcare, medical staffing for institutions, and both skilled and non-skilled care.

Healthcare professionals see people at their most vulnerable, and Gaye is determined to ensure those professionals understand exactly how much difference they can make, even as federal and state changes make their industry challenging.

Gaye works to assure her team members how much they are valued. “Everyone wants to feel their contribution makes a difference, that they’re appreciated and that they are contributing to a greater good and are part of a team.”

Gaye’s passion for people comes from the way she was raised. “My parents always inspired me to help others,” she says. “I’ve never seen my mother make dinner and not have enough left over for a neighbor, even though she had many mouths to feed. There was always something for someone else. I know we all make a difference — it could be good and it could be bad. As a leader, I have the opportunity to make a positive difference. Our core value is respect for every person.”

HEALTHCARE

O

live Gaye recalls her relationship with a former mentor and how it eventually led her to change her career and her life — and, ultimately, the lives of others.

Gaye has an unwavering vision for the future of home healthcare: “One day, we’re all going to get to the place where we need help. I just pray we all get the kind of help we need. When ill people need help, you give it to them in a respectful, dignified manner, because one day you may be the one in that position. None of us is invincible. We are all human.” ◆

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 29

2018

KAREN KEENE

[ATHENA ORLANDO WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP]

By Meaghan Branham

30 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

“Passion is first, absolutely. I’m a strong supporter of seeing women who have remarkable talents and diverse backgrounds be brought to the forefront,” Keene said, recalling the legacy that continues to inspire her: “I had a really amazing mom as my mentor. She was widowed and found herself with three children to raise, all while she was working as a teacher — and she kept everything in our life as normal as possible.

“I think of her so often. She was such an advocate of women having a voice, and she would say to me, ‘I want you to go out there and find your passion, and then I want you to go out and try to make that opportunity available for other women.’ I try to remember that whenever it seems like it might be too much — that was what she left for me.”

Led by her mother’s example, Keene graduated from Rollins College with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications and accepted a position as marketing director at an engineering and architecture firm. “I learned many wonderful lessons from the only female vice president at the firm at the time,” Keene said. “She was just a ball of fire and an exceptional leader — and she paved the way for me in the firm.”

Later, while working as regional marketing manager and director of communications for law firm Foley & Lardner LLP, a unique opportunity presented itself. It would mark the beginning of the complementary relationship between her passion and her work, which she now continues in her role at Dean Mead.

“When I heard about the ATHENAPowerLink program, I saw a unique opportunity for the female attorneys, the few we had, to serve on advisory panels and support women-owned businesses,” Keene said. The program, which connects women business owners with a free panel of advisors for a year, was first established in 1999. Keene helped bring it to Central Florida in 2005.

I had a really amazing mom as my mentor … She was such an advocate of women having a voice.

Once PowerLink was established, Keene organized a group to bring to Orlando another initiative of ATHENA International, an organization founded in 1982: a Women’s Leadership Lunch. The event included roundtable discussions of eight leadership principles written

by ATHENA founder Martha Mayhood Mertz.

“Established women leaders were asked to bring an up-and-coming star in their organization, or a neighbor or a daughter,” Keene said. The first Orlando luncheon saw a turnout of 350 women — a number that would double in its second year.

Keene and her friend and co-founder Jennifer Johnson established a partnership with the University of Central Florida (UCF) and enlisted the help of community leaders including Helen Donegan, vice president emerita of UCF, and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. There was such a positive response from the community, they began to ask, “Could we do more?”

They took a leap of faith and created the ATHENA NextGen program. It was an initiative that served as a pilot program and is now being replicated in other cities around the world.

One morning a month for eight months, a class of 55 women meets to discuss the leadership principles, facilitated by local women leaders.

In November, the program celebrated its fifth anniversary. It has graduated 265 emerging leaders and established a $100,000 scholarship with UCF. Keene credits the support of her friends and family, her firm and her faith in the women of the community for reinforcing her drive. With both gratitude to those who came before, and hope for those who will come after, Keene has carried on a legacy of opportunity that promises to continue growing. ◆

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

A

s director of marketing and business development at law firm Dean Mead and president of ATHENA Orlando Women’s Leadership Inc., Karen Keene has found the simple secret to maintaining balance in a hectic schedule: perspective and passion.

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 31

2018

JERRY ROSS

[NATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR CENTER]

By Elyssa Coultas

32 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Through the vision of NEC President and CEO Jerry Ross, the organization grew into a flourishing network of nonprofits, chambers, and corporate and government leaders who collaborate to nurture ideas. Their mission is to accelerate startups, small businesses and second-stage ventures in Central Florida.

The NEC serves as a hub for business creation while functioning as a nonprofit.

World-renowned for its economic development model, the NEC has a direct economic impact in Orlando with ripple effects of its work throughout the state. Between the 12 groups that comprise the executive board and create the long-term strategy for the NEC and the 14 organizations that live at the center and support the mission every day, Ross has to maintain a unifying vision for the powerhouse.

His vast experience as an entrepreneur, and his family life, prepared him for such a role. One of 11 children, he learned at a young age how to collaborate, work hard and delegate. He uses those skills every day to serve the NEC’s partners and clients.

Ross approaches the job with humility and gratitude. “It’s hard for any one person to be honored as a leader in this organization, because that one person represents the hard work of many others,” he said.

Under his leadership, the NEC has helped more than 100,000 businesses through coaching and training and facilitated more than $150 million in small business loans.

“The fact that Orlando has led the nation in job creation in the past two years is not an accident,” he said. “That’s 15 years of work by our community.”

Using his predisposition for creative problemsolving, Ross had started and operated many

Failure is not permanent. Failure is only temporary. But learning those lessons in times of struggle made me a better manager and a better leader.

successful businesses before accepting the role as the CEO of the NEC in 2007. “Seems like I’ve been preparing for this job all my life,” he said. Ross established and sold an eclectic array of companies ranging from a local business magazine to Sky-Tracker Florida, which provided the xenon searchlights seen at Walt Disney World and lighting for various motion pictures.

“I have always loved being an entrepreneur, of having to figure things out,” he said. “I sold my first business when I graduated from high school. I sold my next business when I graduated from college.”

As every entrepreneur does, Ross encountered struggles and failed businesses along his journey. In 1989, he fell on hard times and found himself sweeping the floors of an empty arena after a Rod Stewart concert to pay rent. Within one year, he had started another business and was back on his feet.

“The birth and death of businesses is what fuels a dynamic economy. Ross said "Communities need businesses that are starting and growing and starting and failing, because sometimes, like in my case, that failure was the lesson I needed to learn for the success of the next business. That dynamism generates churn, jobs and innovation.”

“Failure is not permanent. Failure is only temporary. When I fast-forward to my job here, and I see those anxious looks coming in the front door, I recognize them because I’ve seen them in the mirror before. That’s something that keeps me grounded because I know what sacrifices are required to create a successful business. But learning those hard lessons in times of struggle made me a much better manager and leader.” ◆

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

E

choes of eager shoppers reverberate along the waxed floors of Orlando Fashion Square mall, where a staged traffic light and road signs in the middle of an aisle direct aspiring minds to an economic development machine. It’s no coincidence that the National Entrepreneur Center sits at the intersection of innovation and business.

i4Biz.com |DECEMBER 2018 | 33

2018

SANDY SHUGART DR.

[VALENCIA COLLEGE]

By Diane Sears

34 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

“That now represents about 15 percent of the undergraduate experience,” said Shugart, who has seen the post-high school educational path evolve in his role as president of Valencia College since 2000. “We think of that as the main way — going to football games, joining a fraternity or sorority, living on campus in dormitories. That is not at all the dominant way people go to college today.”

Students are more mobile now and more likely to blend life with learning, he said. Locally, they tap into an ecosystem of institutions that have partnered to create a continuum of education, including Valencia College, Seminole State and the University of Central Florida (UCF). They attend some classes in person and others online.

Some of them start in community college and transfer to universities for their last two years and graduate school, while others earn four-year degrees at community colleges.

In Orange County alone, six of every 10 high school graduates who continue their education go to Valencia, Shugart said. About 15 percent attend a state university, another 15 percent head to another state college or an independent college or proprietary school, and 10 percent go into the military or an apprenticeship.

The great opportunity for colleges like Valencia now is to restore the American promise that if you work hard and study, there is economic mobility available to you.

To meet those needs, Valencia has embarked on numerous high-profile initiatives under Shugart’s leadership. It’s expanding its fouryear degree offerings and creating additional specialty programs to grow the talent pipeline in Central Florida.

“We can train people in a matter of weeks, rather than years, to get them employed productively — and in full-time, stable employment with benefits,” Shugart said.

“We’ve built dozens of programs that are short in duration but lead to significant improvement in earnings.”

Valencia is also working on a joint project with UCF to open a shared campus in August 2019 that is expected to transform the look and feel of downtown Orlando. It will bring 7,000 students into the heart of the city west of Interstate 4, along with housing, restaurants, park space and entertainment options to serve them. One goal of the downtown campus is to reach working adults, including those in underserved areas where people might be the first in their families to go to college.

As the population of Central Florida and the whole state continues to grow, Valencia expects to see 60,000 more students in the next 15 years, with UCF and Seminole State seeing a combined 30,000 additional students. This is what keeps Shugart up at night.

“The great opportunity for colleges like Valencia now is to restore the American promise that if you work hard and study, there is economic mobility available to you,” Shugart said. “People can get ahead. Their ZIP code doesn’t have to determine their potential.

At the same time, Central Florida is experiencing what Shugart calls a profound shortage of workers in several industries. “This is a long-term shortage,” he said. “The baby boomers are retiring, the economy is growing, and we have lots of vacant jobs in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, safety and security, and transportation and logistics. It’s getting very difficult to hire a lot of these folks.”

“This could change the trajectory of many people’s lives — people who work in the contingent economy now, who are working parttime with no benefits and are very susceptible to the interruption of their work,” Shugart said.

“Our vision is to change the trajectory of 5,000 families a year with programs like that. We’re scaling it now. We’ve got a ways to go, but it’s looking very promising.” ◆

TALENT PIPELINE

W

hen Sandy Shugart attended college in the 1970s at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he had what people then considered the “normal” college experience: leaving town to start college right after high school, living on or near campus, attending school full time and working part time.

i4Biz.com |DECEMBER 2018 | 35

Human Approach is the Best Route to Luminar’s Autonomous Vehicles

By Meaghan Branham

Just a few decades ago, selfdriving cars could be seen only in TV shows and films, driven by the likes of Michael Knight, Bruce Wayne and Marty McFly. Those of us watching those heroes’ stories hoped that one day our own cars might double as “partners in crime” in our adventures. And now that day could be just around the corner.

36 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

However, before we can replicate KITT, the Batmobile or maybe someday even the DeLorean time machine, researchers first have to develop the technology to ensure passengers of autonomous vehicles arrive safely at their destinations. That means self-driving cars not only have to detect obstacles, they have to do so with an intuition that up until this point only their human operators possessed.

“The biggest challenge is how well the cars can see the world around them,” said Jason Eichenholz, co-founder and chief technology officer of Orlandobased Luminar Technologies. “They need to be able to see around themselves in 3D, the way humans do.

Most radar can’t understand the difference between a firetruck and a road sign. The average autonomous vehicle might be safe 99 percent of the time. We need to make sure we can cover that last 1 percent.”

That is exactly what Luminar has been working on behind the scenes of the competitive autonomous vehicle movement in the past few years. Its team has been laying the groundwork for a safer, more efficient future for the automotive industry.

Behind the Technology

Luminar’s LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology relies on infrared lasers that travel the distance between the car and its environment, creating a 3D map of the car’s surroundings. Built using indium gallium arsenide, instead of the usual silicon, Luminar is able to operate at 1550 nanometers wavelength and construct a technology that is safer, more cost effective, and with a longer range than others in the industry.

“Our wavelength allows us to see 50 times higher resolution and 10 times farther out, and still be eye-safe,” Eichenholz said. “At 200 meters, our technology can detect lowreflectivity objects, like someone wearing a black hoodie, not just white clothing, with a seven-second reaction time at highway speed.” By comparison, today’s self-driving cars only offer a less than onesecond reaction time at 75 miles an hour.

At the root of Luminar’s sci-fi movie-like tech is a compassion rooted very much in improving people’s lives today. Whether that be a commuter looking to get some work done on the way to the office, or someone who may otherwise have limited mobility or difficulty driving, the goal of an autonomous vehicle is to create a better, more accessible world for all.

“This is also very personal to me,” Eichenholz said. “I have aging parents, and I don’t necessarily want to have that conversation about possibly taking away their car keys.

We can fundamentally change their lives and help them reclaim the time that’s theirs.”

i4Biz.com |DECEMBER 2018 | 37

Fostering Talent The biggest challenge is how well the cars can see the world around them.

They need to be able to see around themselves in 3D, the way humans do. Most radar can’t understand the difference between a firetruck and a road sign.

— Jason Eichenholz

Co-founders Austin Russell and Jason Eichenholz

Luminar has built its team to nearly 400 in the past 1.5 years in Central Florida as well as Silicon Valley and Colorado Springs. The Orlando location was key to being able to bring the technology to scale.

“LiDAR has been used for decades in remote sensing,” Eichenholz said. “The fundamental technology that enables LiDAR was developed in Orlando, with companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Harris.”

Eichenholz and his co-founder, CEO Austin Russell, saw the value in the technology’s ties to the area and the potential for future innovation. They point to the University of Central Florida (UCF) Business Incubator program, which has helped foster a cluster of businesses specializing in photonics technology, as well as the Orlando Regional Tech Association and other assets. “There is so much talent here,” Eichenholz said.

With a 125,000-square-foot engineering and research facility located in Central Florida Research Park adjacent to UCF, Luminar continues to grow. The company began scaling production to a capacity of 5,000 units a quarter by the end of the year and entered a partnership with Toyota and Volvo — good news for people hoping to get their hands on an autonomous vehicle of their own.

“It was predicted it could be 25 years before autonomous vehicles could be as safe as humans,” Eichenholz said. “With our tech, we can accelerate that. ◆

38 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Something new is on the horizon.

O

M

N

I

D I G I T A L vegaomnidigital.com

Spotlight

C. Russell Slappey, CPA CEO and Managing Partner

Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services

Helping Others

"

Persistence is the underlying theme in entrepreneurship.

I believe in that.

— Russell Slappey

Russell Slappey comes from a long line of financial savvy. With three older brothers entering the field as CPAs ahead of him, Slappey saw the potential there for not only career growth, but the opportunity to put his entrepreneurial spirit to good use.

“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur,” Slappey said. “It was just a matter of how I would do it.”

The “how” came into focus in 2003 with the founding of his company, Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services. Now, as CEO and managing partner, he has the opportunity to not only put his 20 years of financial experience as a CFO to good use, but to add value wherever he can. In each of his responsibilities — which range from working directly with his clients, to spearheading the marketing and business development goals, to developing strategic partnerships throughout the community — Slappey is passionate about shaping a prosperous future.

“I’m inspired by helping others — the idea of building something bigger than yourself,” he said.

40 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Through a partnership with CEO Leadership Forums, Slappey has found a way to take that idea a step further by providing insight about his own leadership experience. Bringing together CEOs for discussions and knowledge content meetings, as well as creating materials to share the discoveries that come from them, CEO Leadership Forums provide comprehensive guidance to those looking for insight on how to best lead their companies. And the impact is exponential, with partnerships with Valencia College and Miami Dade College already blossoming, while providing scholarship opportunities for students and connecting them to businesses for internships. With this exposure, other opportunities are springing up nationally as a result.

By continuously seeking similar partnerships, Slappey brings value to his community and finds himself constantly inspired and motivated by those he meets: “Persistence is the underlying theme in entrepreneurship. I believe in that. It always amazes me how entrepreneurs keep going, through both the successes and the setbacks.” ◆

Spotlight

Grennan Fender Hess & Poparad LLP Leadership Team

Photo L to R: Scott Stinard, Assurance Director Katie Drees, Accounting Director David Poparad, Managing Partner Geoffrey Gallo, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Consulting Jed Grennan, Senior Partner

"

We must demonstrate proactivity and collaboration both within the firm and as a strategic alliance partner.

If I could name the core themes that define the firm, they are relationships, a passion for service and a clientfirst mentality.

— Jed Grennan, Senior Partner

CPAs and Strategic Advisors Growing one’s business while minimizing risk and taxes is an objective of every entrepreneur. To do so requires surrounding yourself with advisors and professionals who can see the things you cannot. Having roots back to 1975, Grennan Fender is among the top 15 largest CPA firms in Central Florida. Its comprehensive service model delivers tax, assurance, client accounting services and strategic consulting services.

“Our approach is not rearview mirrororiented,” said Jed Grennan, founding partner. “To assist clients, it’s important to show you have successfully navigated the years and are profitable yourself.”

Grennan Fender is one of the few remaining CPA firms in Orlando still under local ownership. That helps its professionals stay close to their clients, said David Poparad, who was recently appointed managing partner.

“Family business values of trust and respect, together with a servantleader philosophy, bring us the talented individuals who make the firm their

career,” Poparad said. “The firm’s culture is built on this. Our leadership team includes seasoned professionals who themselves inspire others to know and understand our clients’ goals and objectives.”

The firm’s leadership also includes Geoffrey Gallo, senior vice president, marketing and strategic consulting; Katie Drees, accounting director; and Scott Stinard, assurance director. “You cannot continue to grow year after year, and serve the caliber of clients we do, without a coordinated team who trust each other and hold each other accountable,” Gallo said. "As a founding member of CEO Leadership Forums, our strategic partnerships with other advisor companies simply compound the opportunities we have to serve Central Florida businesses and handle all of their possible needs."

The firm uses an efficient diagnostic and delivery formula that keeps clients coming back for more and referring others. “I am so proud of our team. You can be sure we will deliver the results you need,” Grennan said. “We guarantee the optimal client satisfaction experience.” ◆ i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 41

Spotlight

Maria Tchu

REALTOR®

Vogel Realty Services Inc.

Kent Winkelseth

Vice President Orlando Branch

Shelter Mortgage

A Warm Welcome Home

"

To see my customers’ joy at the closing table because they were able to acquire the biggest investment for their lives — to me, that is a big deal.

— Maria Tchu

REALTOR® Maria Tchu learned early on that at the heart of each buyer’s journey, there exists something more than just a big purchase.

She works to match each client with homes for the future and looks to industry partners whose values align with hers, like Shelter Mortgage.

“I learned that I do not sell homes,” she said. “My duty is to represent and understand my customers to the best of my ability so I can find them their dream home and make them comfortable throughout the process.”

She says of her relationship with Shelter’s Orlando branch: “Kent Winkelseth and his team make this process so much easier. I love the way they work with our potential buyers. Their warm approach makes customers feel less intimidated when they’re about to make the biggest purchase of their lives. Shelter advises people with their best interests at heart because, to them, they are not just another file. They are families trying to purchase their homes.”

After 15 years of working in accounting, Tchu found herself looking for a new way to use her business savvy, one she knew would make a positive impact on her clients and allow her the versatility she craved.

“A typical day in this business is unpredictable,” she laughed. Whether following up with lenders, pending buyers and recent closings, or developing strategies for marketing, “I never know, to be honest, where I am going to be. And that is one thing I love about this business. There is never a dull moment.”

Tchu’s warmth and inspiration come from her own family, who keep her in touch with the most important part of her job. “This is a business where you have to be up and running, and it can stress you out,” she said.

“My family is there when I need them at any time. If it weren’t for my husband's support and for my daughter, who is my biggest cheerleader, everything would be more challenging.” ◆

© 2018 Shelter Mortgage Company, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. This communication does not constitute a commitment to lend or the guarantee of a specified interest rate. All loan programs and availability of cash proceeds are subject to credit, underwriting and property approval. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions apply. Shelter Mortgage Company, LLC |4000 W. Brown Deer Road, Brown Deer, WI 53209 | Corp NMLS#431223 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Equal Housing Lender. Kent Winkelseth, Vice President/Production Manager NMLS ID: 552527 |408 East Ridgewood Street |Orlando, FL 32803 | (407) 765-3810 | Kent.Winkelseth@sheltermortgage.com

42 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Spotlight

James Athens Jr.

Commercial Loan Officer

Fidelity Bank of Florida N.A.

Local Needs, Local Service

"

I have the ability to openly discuss these commercial loan customers’ needs directly with local decision-makers.

— James Athens Jr.

James “Jim” Athens Jr. has worked in the Central Florida banking industry since 2013. His role as a commercial loan officer for Fidelity Bank of Florida gives him the unique opportunity to work directly with local business owners to assist them in growing their companies and developing relationships that positively impact the region’s economy.

Athens retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2010 after serving more than 20 years of dedicated service to his country. He holds a bachelor of science degree in technical management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach and a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Ala.

After working for nearly six years at a nationally known banking institution, he decided it was time to test his skills at Fidelity Bank of Florida.

Athens met his wife, Andrea, while serving in the Air Force, and the two have been married for nearly 21 years.

They have two teenage boys. The oldest, Griffin, has followed in his father’s footsteps and is currently in technical training to become an F-16 maintainer in the Air Force. Their youngest, Grant, is a freshman at West Orange High School, where he plays football for the Warriors.◆

“Community banks — and Fidelity Bank especially — understand the needs of our local business leaders and entrepreneurs,” he said. “I have the ability to openly discuss these commercial loan customers’ needs directly with local decision-makers.”

Fidelity Bank of Florida is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender where all loans are subject to approval. James Athens Jr, Commercial Lender (407) 588-3218 Jathens@fbfna.com

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 43

Journey to Success “Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. If you have the conviction that the business idea is in line with your true philosophy of life and you actually want to be part of the business, you’ll enjoy the process and the success a lot more.”

— Venkat “Ven” Puskur 44 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

V

enkat “Ven” Puskur has an engineering background and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, a master’s in computer science, and an MBA specializing in finance and marketing.

He previously worked for Fortune 100 companies.

But with the heart of an entrepreneur and the desire to be his own boss, he took a leap of faith and created his own career path.

Puskur lives by the principle that you should be in a profession you truly enjoy and not just because it makes you money. “Your chances of success are higher when you actually enjoy what you do,” he said. “Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. If you have the conviction that the business idea is in line with your true philosophy of life and you actually want to be part of the business, you’ll enjoy the process and the success a lot more.”

Puskur began his entrepreneurial career buying an existing Quiznos in 2007. Later, he found his true calling working with children and being part of their academic growth and success through a Kumon math and reading franchise. Always the businessman, Puskur continued his professional endeavors by investing in additional companies he believed in.

Fast-paced and hands-on in all his businesses and projects, Puskur believes customer service is of the utmost importance, and it shows when you witness him interact with his clients. He is about to embark on his most exciting project yet: bringing an Urban Air indoor trampoline and adventure park franchise to Brevard County.

After spending time researching the franchise and finding the right location at The Avenue Viera, Puskur focused on getting the financing required to make it happen.

In 2017, Puskur was introduced to Lory Milton, a local commercial loan officer at Fidelity Bank of Florida. After learning how Milton worked for a community bank with local

decision-makers, Puskur realized they could bring his vision to life. Fidelity Bank quickly realized he was an experienced entrepreneur and pursued an SBA loan, financing backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, as a win for all parties.

The opening of Puskur’s Urban Air franchise will drive new jobs to Brevard and add substantial consumer traffic to The Avenue Viera. Urban Air is an adventure park for all ages featuring trampoline attractions, wall climbing, a warrior course, an indoor zip line, a rope course, laser tag, full-length bowling and virtual reality games. Puskar has plans to make Urban Air the ultimate event destination for families, schools and businesses in the county. It’s scheduled to open early next year at The Avenue Viera in the space previously occupied

by Sports Authority.

Milton and Fidelity Bank are excited about Puskur and the Urban Air Trampoline Park becoming part of the Fidelity family. “Ven has been a pleasure to work with,” Milton said.

“He has such a strong business ethic and drive.” ◆ i4Biz.com |DECEMBER 2018 | 45

Best Practice

Leadership Saying Goodbye: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

Romaine Seguin is president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding, based in Atlanta. She can be reached at rseguin@ups.com.

Soon we will say goodbye to 2018.

Every year, as we come close to the end of another cycle, we reflect on the events in our lives. Some goodbyes are more difficult than others. Has anyone really mastered the art of farewell?

mature you get, the better prepared you are to know when and how to say goodbye. There could be some truth to this, but I believe it’s never easy if you’re vested professionally and emotionally in a place, a role or the people around you.

Throughout our professional careers, most of us have had changes, whether they were internal moves within an organization, changes to our team or even relocation. Whatever the reason, these changes mean sometimes we have to say goodbye to people who have become very close to us — people we interact with on a daily basis in meetings, on conference calls, or maybe just passing by at our workplace.

I have the great fortune to work for a global company that has given me the opportunity to travel around the world, and my job has led me to move eight times. All of the moves have signified wonderful opportunities, and I’ve enjoyed them, but with every move I’ve known there eventually would be a goodbye. Two of these have been particularly difficult.

Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life.”

That means we will all face many goodbyes. You’d think that the more

"

Change is the only constant in life.”

— Heraclitus

46 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

The first was at the beginning of my career. The company had made an acquisition in France, and I was assigned to work on the merger.

It was a challenging project, but it

was also professionally rewarding, and living in Paris was amazing! Finally we turned the corner. Employees and clients were integrated, processes were in place, and the two merged operations were starting to function as one.

I was soon relocated to the United States. My last day was tough. As I walked out of our Orly operation, I turned around to see all the windows in the building open. The employees hung out waving American flags. It was a warm way to wish me adieu on my journey back home.

The second tough move was at the midpoint of my career.

I was in Minneapolis, and my responsibilities had increased considerably. I was managing a group of people, and it was a great learning experience because I realized how important it is to have a cohesive team. It was in this role that I became “Momma Bear.” This is a phrase I coined when I realized I would not let anyone hurt my team members. I would always have their backs and they would always be my “Baby Bears.”

Then I received a call that I was being transferred to Milan, Italy. I had to fly out immediately because of the situation I was assigned to address. I didn’t even have time to have an in-person meeting to announce my departure — I had to tell my baby bears arrivederci over the phone.

Today, I’m in the middle of my ninth move with the company. I had just landed from a business trip to Mexico City when I received a call that I was being named president of the Global Freight Forwarding business unit. This change is bittersweet. I will be working on a new professional challenge I’m excited about, with people I like, but the job is based in Atlanta. That means I’ve had to say goodbye to my baby bears in Miami and leave a city I love. I was not able to make the announcement in person, so again I had to share the news over the phone. After I told them I was being relocated, I paused for 15 seconds and it seemed like forever. It was then I realized this was the hardest goodbye in my career.

Why is leaving Miami so gut-wrenching? Not only because it’s the place where I had lived for the longest time in my 35 years with the company, but also because I had found a workgroup and a city that truly match my personality, both professionally and personally.

So when and how do you say goodbye? I think we will never know for sure, and every situation will be different.

For me, the when is now and the how is by saying “Adios, mis amigos,” which is “Goodbye, my friends” in Spanish.

And the silver lining to my move to Atlanta? In this case, goodbye also comes with a hello. ◆

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i4Biz.com |DECEMBER 2018 | 47

Best Practice

Online Marketing Online Reviews Can Help Guide Customers to Your Business

Kaitlyn Study is the owner and creative director of South Street & Co., a marketing agency in Orlando.

Reviews are important, and if you’re not tracking them, you’re missing out.

of consumers trust online reviews just as much as a referral from a friend.

I was on vacation with my husband a month or so ago. We’re big foodies, so each place we go, we make sure to scout out the local spots to eat exceptional food. My husband dictates where we go based solely on reviews. He looks over Yelp, clicks on the ones that have good reviews, reads the reviews in-depth and then goes over to Google to see if the reviews are the same or at least similar.

Whether you’re on vacation, you’re trying to get people on vacation to come visit you, or you’re a local business, here are some steps you should take to help your online reviews:

His final step in setting us on our future food destination is to call to ensure they have an opening or determine whether we can make reservations. Then, and only then, can we officially say our search has ended.

Of course, this is our journey, and how each person looks up companies is different, but research shows 84 percent

"

Reviews are important, and if you’re not tracking them, you’re missing out.

— Kaitlyn Study

48 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

1. Claim all of your review sites.

Pay attention to the main ones: Google, Yelp and Facebook. If you haven’t claimed these, that’s your homework! Claiming them involves verifying your identity to ensure you are the owner or an authorized representative of the company. All of the sites above will walk you through the process. Then, once you’ve entered your information, you’ll get an automated phone call, text or postcard sent to you. After you’ve entered the code into the new location, you’re good to go.

2. Update your review sites. Now that you’ve claimed and logged into your new sites, you’ll need to fill out the remaining information. Make sure you have this on a reminder because your information can change. This goes for photos, too. Google, Yelp and Facebook are great places to add updated photos of the outside of your business, the inside and maybe even the parking options.

3. Track all reviews. Tracking all reviews just got a whole lot easier for you since you’ve claimed the accounts.

Google sends you notifications to the email on your registration letting you know when someone suggests a change or leaves a review. It also allows you to respond to that review. Yelp and Facebook do the same.

4. Respond to all reviews. Responding to reviews should be a huge priority. I was talking to a client who had just gotten a negative review because she couldn’t fit someone in last-minute due to her business being fully booked. The person got mad and left a bad review on her Yelp page. She took some time, thought about it and replied that since she’s the sole owner and employee of the business, she was unable to accommodate him in such a last-minute manner. She also explained that she was happy to reschedule a time that worked best for him and apologized for the inconvenience. New clients told her they came to her because they had read that response. They said it showed she was trying to accommodate the person but didn’t have a way to clone herself to do it. The key with a response to a negative review is to take a breather, let it sit for a couple of hours and then respond. But respond in a neutral way.

I’m asked all the time, “What if it’s a positive review, should I still respond?” My answer is yes! If you respond to reviews, it shows people you’re active on the account and that you pay attention to what’s going on with your business.

5. Ask for reviews. We ask clients after we’ve completed their project if they could please leave us a review on Google. If you’re not sure if this is acceptable, Google encourages you to do it. I always ask for Google reviews first, then Facebook and any other sites. However, each business is different. For some, Yelp is more valuable. I also make it convenient by putting the link for a review in the email I send to them.

Reviews should be integrated within your marketing strategy if they aren’t already. Not only do they help you with reputation, but they also help you appear in search results with accolades.

Start small with a goal of claiming one per week and then get used to checking in on the accounts every month, if not sooner. Ultimately, this will help your business and your exposure in the online world ◆

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i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 49

Best Practice

Business Strategy Do You Understand Your Company’s Strategic Landscape?

Ronald J. Recardo

is the managing partner of The Catalyst Consulting Group LLC. He can be reached at rrecardo@catalystconsultinggroup.org.

The best-designed strategic planning processes start with a data-driven analysis of what’s happening outside of your organization. The data can then be used to begin to formulate your organization’s preliminary growth platforms. There are five critical areas of focus: 1. Market Dynamics: One can easily get lost in a “forest vs. the tree” scenario if not careful. The most critical areas to focus on are

50 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

collecting data that can impact the performance of your organization, such as inflation rates, energy costs and unemployment rates.

Understand the cause-and-effect variables that can help you determine market segmentation.

For example, if inflation increases X percent, revenues decrease Y percent. You typically want to focus on the largest markets with the highest growth rates and largest profitability.

For many of us, the strategic planning process is akin to a “black hole.”

Meetings occur, and at the end magic happens and a three-ring binder is crafted or, worse yet, a plan is never formalized and stays in someone’s head. The most successful second-stage companies fully understand the value of strategic planning and appreciate that it is an iterative discovery process with inputs, outputs and deliverables.

2. White Space or Blue Ocean: The best place to “play” is in uncontested market space where you are the first to identify an unmet need. Think of Cirque du Soleil, which combined traditional circus with Broadway theatrics to command a premium price point that appeals to a much a larger audience, from children to retirees.

Key Success Factors

Rank

Market awareness

H

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Brand strength

M

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Distribution channels

M

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New product introduction

H

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Price

H

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Customer relationship management

M

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Cirque has flourished after finding “blue ocean” while most of the traditional circuses are now defunct.

3. Competitors: The more data you have on competitors, the better you can differentiate and dominate. Although it’s more difficult with privately held companies, data can be collected from sources ranging from third-party data aggregators and public domain to industry and trade groups. For every competitor, you should minimally understand the company’s business strategy, market segments, distribution/sales channels, pricing, product/service offerings, cost structure compared to yours and sources of competitive advantage.

DID YOU KNOW

4. Customers: How well do you understand your customers’ desired product/service attributes? Do you know which customers are most and least profitable?

Most importantly, what are their unmet needs? Can you answer the following questions?

• Which customers are most strategic?

• Which customers do you work with that you know you will never satisfy?

• Do you understand why customers stop doing business with you?

5. Disruptive Technologies/Substitute Products: A disruptive technology is one that can make your product or service obsolete. Kodak didn’t understand that photo paper was about to become past tense, and Blockbuster Video didn’t grasp that streaming technology was the future. An example of a substitute product is using Splenda instead of sugar or using composites instead of steel. The net effect is that substitutes greatly diminish demand for your offering.

Consumers immerse themselves in magazine content both in print and digital editions

Key Success Factor

The first key outgrowth of an environmental scan is the identification of factors that detail the areas of performance your organization must excel at to dominate the markets you compete in. Illustrated on page 50 is one of the proprietary tools we use with clients to identify and rank factors and determine how a client compares to the industry leaders.

Opportunities/Threats

All of the data collected needs to be synthesized one last time to: 1) identify and prioritize trends and their implications on your organization, 2) prioritize opportunities and threats, and 3) begin to develop a preliminary list of growth platforms and business strategies.

Taking the time to collect the data and using that data to inform your decision-making is the secret sauce that separates “A companies” from the rest of the pack. ◆

51.5 minutes

48.3 minutes

*primary print readers

*digital edition readers

*Subscribers/newstand buyers and other members of their households.

Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 51

Best Practice

Commercial Real Estate About Commercial Real Estate Investing

Debra Mairs is vice president, commercial loan officer at FAIRWINDS Credit Union.

With average rental rates having reached their highest level in a decade, commercial real estate (CRE) is an appealing investment. Deciding whether, when and how to invest is a difficult decision, and not without risks, but don’t fret. Before you put the first dollar down, make sure you know the answers to the most important questions regarding CRE investing.

How will I make money from my investment?

As you consider CRE investment, you’ll need to decide whether you’re more interested in a land-centric or tenantcentric approach. You may choose to buy a piece of property with the intent to re-sell in five to 10 years after the land appreciates. Alternately, you may be more interested in having a steady stream of income from securing high-quality, longterm tenants. This kind of tenant-centric “coupon clipping” approach may have a lower risk with a steady cash flow, but typically has a smaller return in the long run. Choose the strategy that best aligns with your short- and long-term goals.

52 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

How do I select low-risk tenants?

If you’re considering the income approach, selecting quality tenants is key — not only to ensure a revenue stream, but also to secure a loan for the purchase.

The property value of your investment matters to you as the owner, but your lender’s interest is in your ability to repay the loan through rental income, and this needs to be established prior to closing.

In other words, the strength of your preleased tenants can make or break your ability to secure funding.

Some examples of low-risk tenants:

ɕɕ

Publicly traded retail tenants with a published credit rating

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Well-established brands in office environments with long-term leases

ɕɕ

Hospitals

ɕɕ

Government agencies and municipalities

Will I need to hire a consultant?

To make a successful CRE investment, you may need both a banker and a broker. There are a variety of factors that differentiate a lucrative CRE investment from a disastrous one, and a good broker can help you identify a property’s potential pitfalls. These factors include everything from a strip mall’s visibility from the road to the parking lot capacity of an office building.

How long should my leases be?

Lease length can vary based on the nature of your tenant agreement. In looking at the term, remember that “lease options” are always in favor of the tenant, not the owner, because the tenant holds the option. If you construct a facility to suit a tenant’s specific needs, you should seek a lease of at least 10 years. If the building is less customized, like a retail storefront in an anchored shopping center, a fiveyear lease at market value may be reasonable.

DID YOU KNOW

Should I consider custom amenities to attract and keep tenants?

As landlord, regular maintenance is your responsibility by default, but you might also want to consider going above and beyond for some of your tenants. For instance, you may find yourself considering an investment in extra refrigeration to accommodate a tenant with an extensive wine bar. But if that tenant leaves and is replaced by a family-style sports restaurant that has no use for the new amenities, your investment leaves with them. If you decide to finance a tenant improvement, make sure your tenant is willing to pay higher rent for the term of the lease — or make a one-time payment — to cover the cost of the customized space.

How does a CRE investment differ from an investment in stock?

When you invest in CRE, you have more control over that investment. While it may also prove lucrative to include stock in your investment strategy, the market is more dependent on external forces. Managed conservatively, an investment in income-generating real estate with strong tenants may carry a lower risk and be less influenced by the emotions that can cause volatility in the stock market.

Once I purchase property, what market trends do I need to monitor?

Real estate does not operate in a bubble. To ensure that your property remains competitive, keep an eye on the local CRE industry, especially vacancy rates and market values.

Even if your building boasts a low vacancy rate, a nearby facility with a high vacancy rate and lower rent might lure away your tenants.

While a successful CRE strategy may take more effort and maintenance than other investment options, you can enjoy significant benefits through every stage of the process. Just be sure to enter the market informed and prepared, and you will be poised for success. ◆

The audience for print and digital magazines increased by 3.3 million adults from 2016 to 2017

65% of readers take action after seeing a print magazine ad

Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 53

Best Practice

Marketing Strategy The Relationship Between Diversity and Marketing The world has always been a place of diverse and unique perspectives. Now, more than ever, there’s an emphasis on allowing room for all of those voices in the workplace.

Cherise Czaban

is the publisher and CEO of i4 Business.

She can be reached at Cherise@i4biz.com

"

Today, there exists a new and more promising form of globalization, one based on cultural respect, sensitivity and inclusion.

Diversity has passed from the legal obligation phase to enlightenment — where being different is embraced as positive.

— Johann Xavier Entrepreneur magazine

54 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

Millennials — who accounted for onethird of the U.S. labor force as of 2016, according to the Pew Research Center — have grown up in a world where diversity is not only an economically beneficial aspect of the workplace, but a moral and ethical necessity.

Ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to earn above-average revenue, while gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely, according to a 2015 report from management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. The inclusion of more voices contributes to more empathetic workplaces, more inclusive messaging, more accountability for both employees and leaders, and more dynamic teams.

Your marketing team and messages can be a powerful aspect of your company’s diversity and inclusion practices.

The Perfect Place to Start

The value placed on diversity and inclusion in the workplace is not the only thing changing. The way we understand diversity has shifted as well. Today, our differences are acknowledged, our individual and collective histories are celebrated, and our stories are valued.

Marketing is about telling those stories, allowing your organization to tap into what your audience members want: to see themselves reflected in the narratives they consume. Your marketing team has to create these messages in a way that is both effective and respectful.

What does this mean for your team members? It means they have to be diverse so your stories can reflect their different perspectives. Think of all of the misfires and miscommunications started from campaigns that didn’t factor in basic cultural sensitivity. A collaborative team of people from different backgrounds results in clearer, more compassionate messages that genuinely resonate with a diverse audience. Think of your team as a reflection of the world.

A more inclusive marketing team raises both accountability and creativity. In 2011, a study published in Management Science found that teams made up of an equal number of men and women outperformed other teams because of a higher level of “mutual monitoring.” As long as communication is encouraged, these teams often check in with each other, leading to more efficient results. The same might be said for moral accountability because each individual brings perspectives on certain issues, helping the team become more aware and, therefore, more empathetic at marketing.

The creativity brought on by each new point of view coming together in these teams has been proven time and again. A 2009 study titled “Ethnic Diversity and Creativity in Small Groups” examined what happened when teams were given a brainstorming assignment for a particular hypothetical. Groups made up of people from different ethnic backgrounds were able to develop more “effective and feasible” ideas than more homogenous groups.

Collaboration, communication and openness become integral to teams like the successful ones in the study, allowing room for unexpected, original ideas that are respectful and effective.

A High Priority

This value of diversity and inclusion extends beyond just the content your company produces. It affects the company’s very culture. Those millennials who make up one-third of the workforce will soon be joined by employees who belong to Gen Z, a group that has inherited an understanding that the world is more interesting and relatable through diversity.

A study published in December 2017 by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and public relations firm Weber Shandwick indicated 47 percent of millennials consider diversity and inclusion an important consideration when they’re considering where to work. An inclusive team not only improves your content and strategy but creates a more appealing environment for potential employees.

The current workforce, the same people creating and consuming today’s marketing messages, clearly values diversity. People can see right through a mission to simply fill a quota. Making a point to provide opportunities to talented and deserving individuals from every background should always come from a real desire to hear from and really listen to those individuals. This keeps your company culture in step with the evolving world around it. ◆

DID YOU KNOW More than 180 print magazines have thrived for more than 50 years.

(Only 11 TV programs can say the same.)

54

print magazines have flourished for more than 100 years Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 55

EXALTING FREEDOM

THROUGH ETHICAL CAPITALISM

THREE DYNAMITE IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright

Developing a Mindset of Generosity Jeff Piersall

Eric Wright

I

t is probably the most coveted award in the world, especially in the fields of science and economics. Yes, you guessed it, the Nobel Prize, whose laureates include Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway and Martin Luther King. The most interesting thing about this famous recognition is why Alfred Nobel left most of his sizeable fortune to establish the now famous foundation that bears his name.

his obituary. The headline was memorable: “Le marchand de la mort est mort” — “The Merchant of Death is Dead.” It declared that Nobel “became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before.”

Like many in the media today, the fact that his invention was transformative, making projects like America’s transcontinental railroad possible, was not highlighted by the obit writer.

A brilliant chemist, inventor and businessman, Nobel was awarded more than 330 patents in his career. His most renowned achievement was developing a commercial application for the highly volatile yet powerful explosive nitroglycerin in the form of dynamite. He was only 34 when he received the patent, which would bring him fame, fortune and infamy.

Nobel, however, was shocked by what he read. The idea that this is what would be etched on the edifice of history about his life and achievements was unacceptable.

When his brother Ludwig died in 1888, a French newspaper thought it was the eminent inventor/industrialist and published

Like the metamorphosis Ebenezer Scrooge experienced as a result of his specter-guided journey into the past, present and future, Nobel decided to create a different story.

His success at reinventing himself in the form of prizes for individuals whose work benefits mankind was far more pronounced than most think even he imagined.

Here are three dynamite lessons to live by year-round:

1. The only reason people remember what Alfred Nobel made was because of what he gave.

Had he not established his prize, who would remember the inventor of dynamite? Do you remember who invented the steamboat (Hint: It wasn’t Fulton) or who invented the automobile (Hint: His daughter’s name was Mercedes)?

Do not get us wrong: the idea of pursuing a business idea, for the same reason someone climbs a mountain — because it is there — is reason enough. But when we give our time, abilities and resources, they have a compounding effect. You benefit as the giver, someone else benefits as the receiver and still others benefit by being inspired to give themselves.

Giving is the most accessible commodity in existence. The gift of acceptance or even a smile can change a life, perhaps even our own. As Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

3. The Hidden Secret:

Here is the most important principle about the mindset of giving: It is great to leave a legacy to commemorate your life. But everyone believes they will be philanthropic or become that person worth of a eulogy once they reach their aspirational goals. But like John Lennon said, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

If your plan is to be the person you admire one day, that day may never happen. Even if you reach that place where you can lavishly give back, it will simply be something you do, instead of something you actually are. What we are is what we do every day with what we have. We do not make bargains with ourselves, signing mental letters of intent as a way of delaying our good intentions until tomorrow.

The most significant gift we can give is to simply to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Amy Carmichael said, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” ◆

2. You can write your own obituary.

Our word for the obituary delivered at a funeral is known as a eulogy. This is taken directly from the Greek words eu (meaning “good”) and logos (meaning “words”) or “good words,” and is usually translated as “blessing.”

The essence of a life worthy of a eulogy is not based on how blessed we are, it is based on how we choose to bless others. Especially those people who, because of familiarity or the pace of our life, can become invisible to us. It is like Kevin Costner’s character in Field of Dreams. He thought he was building the magical baseball field for the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson, only to discover he was building it to reconnect and ease the pain of his own father.

Trep Talks is the educational platform of Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright; for more information visit www.linkedin.com/company/trep-talks-ec

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 57

Social Entrepreneur

LIFE

Without Limits

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Social Entrepreneur

UCP of Central Florida Provides a Haven for Learning and Growth

By Elyssa Coultas

A

young woman took the stage at a breakfast hosted by the United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida.

She beamed as she approached the microphone. She had been born prematurely and had suffered a twohour-long seizure when she was young.

Doctors said she would never walk, never talk, but there she stood before the crowd, advocating for the education and advancement of people with disabilities.

the parents of children with cerebral palsy came together to form an organization that sought to acknowledge and advocate for those who had no platform to do so.

Sincere accounts of personal passion and witnessed miracles cascade from Dr. Ilene Wilkins, CEO of the United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida. “Miracles happen every day,” she said. “I think one of the things that makes us unique is that, unfortunately, when parents get a diagnosis, the physicians and doctors often spend a lot of time telling the parents what their child won’t do. We focus on what their child could do.”

As a result, in 1949, the United Cerebral Palsy organization was formed. UCP has since blossomed into a nationwide affiliate network that enables equality, growth and independence in children who have cerebral palsy, a disorder caused by abnormal brain development that affects a person’s movement, muscle tone and posture.

The UCP of Central Florida is a holistic system of seven tuition-free charter schools, support services, and therapy programs that focus on the inclusion, education and advancement of all children. “When I started at UCP in the early ,90s, we were a relatively small agency,” Wilkins said. “We served just over 100 children with a budget of about $500,000. Today we serve 3,500 children and our budget just topped $28 million.

It’s been steady growth of 10 percent to 20 percent per year.”

The Need for Change

The first half of the 20th century was a grim time for many, including those with disabilities. Appalled at the lack of care, inhumane treatment and dismal living conditions of some of these individuals,

“During that time, doctors often used to tell the parents to put their child in a hospital, in a nursing home or even up for adoption because there were no options for the parents,” Wilkins said. “UCP set out to change that.”

Central Florida’s chapter has been dedicated to enriching the lives of children of all abilities since 1955. The UCP of Central Florida serves children and young adults, from birth to age 21, by providing educational services and a variety of therapeutic programs.

SET of Services

Inclusion and early intervention set the foundation for the UCP of Central Florida. “The earlier you get involved in a child’s life and development, the better the outcome all around,” Wilkins said.

Today the organization offers a SET of services: support, education and therapy.

Support services include free individual and family counseling for children with disabilities and their families, parenting labs, pre-screening for babies, teen mom counseling and care for those with highrisk babies, support groups for parents, and recreational activities for children.

"

During that time, doctors often used to tell the parents to put their child in a hospital, in a nursing home or even up for adoption because there were no options for the parent. UCP set out to change that.

— Dr. Ilene Wilkins

Educational programs provide tuitionfree access to an experiential learning environment for children with and without disabilities. Six of the seven UCP campuses throughout Central Florida are elementary schools that provide a unique atmosphere for the students. UCP has a one-to-one iPad program, meaning each student has a tablet to use as a hands-on communication tool.

The curriculum integrates project-based learning, performing arts, music classes and dance.

Therapy ranges from physical to speech, occupational to music. The treatments aid in the development of everything from gross motor skills to sentence structure and the formation of words.

The impact of offering a united, multidisciplinary set of services not only affects the student’s progress, but it equips the teachers and therapists to accomplish more from an informed, firsthand perspective.

“In a more traditional setting, a child would get pulled out of class and go down the hall to get therapy or get therapy after school. In our case, the therapist is in the classroom as a part of the team, i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 59

Social Entrepreneur

"

We work hard to ensure every child gets what they need and to give them the best tools for success. working with the child,” Wilkins said.

“We work hard to ensure every child gets what they need and to give them the best tools for success.”

— Dr. Ilene Wilkins

Social Interaction

Passions emanate from interest, enchantment and experience. Coincidences arise from fortuitous encounters.

Wilkins experienced the union of these phenomena, and it changed her life. She was adopted at birth. She decided to track her ancestry and found that she had a number of biological siblings, including a sister who happened to be moving to Orlando at the time, with her daughter and grandson.

“My nephew has autism,” Wilkins said. “Two years ago, I invited him to try out a class at UCP. In a typical school, he would have been placed in a self-contained classroom, where he would be just with other students with disabilities. Some kids really need that, but in my nephew’s case, he has thrived from that peer interaction, social interaction and intellectual

60 | DECEMBER 2018 | i4Biz.com

and academic stimulation. What he’s been able to accomplish in less than two years is just amazing.”

One of the ideas that UCP of Central Florida fosters in the community is the idea that young children don’t recognize one another as different. They don’t categorize one another by their ability or disability; they simply see another human, another friend.

Wilkins advocates for parents to integrate their children into inclusion-model institutions, as it serves as a catalyst for compassion and problem-solving skills. “At the end of the day, if you could only have one thing, you want your child to be a good person,” she said. “Our kids really are. Even in this age of bullying, these are kids have grown compassion and problem-solving skills, among other wonderful executive functioning skills, naturally. They’re living respect, they’re living compassion. They’re becoming the type of kids we all want our children to become.” ◆

| BUSINESS SEEN

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT Over the past 40 years, Junior Achievement of Central Florida has been proud to host the Mid-Florida Business Hall of Fame. Each year, Junior Achievement celebrates the success of four outstanding business leaders who have made significant contributions to the local community and have served as an inspiration to all. Honorees are recognized as role models whose efforts have moved Central Florida in a stronger direction. This year’s Hall of Fame was held on October 25, 2018, at the Rosen Centre Hotel, and funds raised during the event will help provide Junior Achievement programming for thousands of students in Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties.

Dale Whittaker (President, University of Central Florida); Hall of Fame Laureate Rick Walsh, Trish Walsh (Knob Hill Group), Bud Scholl (One Blood), and Mark Brewer (Central Florida Foundation)

Junior Achievement Chairman of the Board Tim Myers (Seaside National Bank & Trust), Bert Pearsall (BB&T), J. Charles Gray (GrayRobinson)

Linda Landman-Gonzalez, Andrea Batchelor, Dr. Ann McGee, Elisha GonzĂĄlez Bonnewitz, Joanie Schirm

Maxiel Rivera (11th grade, JA Academy at Oak Ridge High School), Aliyah Williams (11th grade, JA Academy at Oak Ridge High School)

Entrepreneurial Vanguard Award recipient Waymon Armstrong (Engineering & Computer Simulations Inc.), Allie Armstrong (11th grade, The First Academy), Sandy Hostetter (SunTrust Bank)

Malik Charles (11th grade, JA Academy at Oak Ridge High School), Spirit of Achievement Award recipient Tony Massey (Massey Services), Lillian Garcia (Tupperware Brands Corporation) i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 61

BUSINESS SEEN |

UCP FACES BEHIND THE MIRACLES BREAKFAST UCP of Central Florida hosted local business and community leaders Oct. 19, 2018, for its annual Faces Behind The Miracles Breakfast. The event raised more than $200,000 for support, education and therapy services for children with cerebral palsy. UCP’s services impact more than 3,500 children and families in Central Florida.

David DeAmato (UCP Middle/High School Principal), Dr. Rebecca A. Hines (University of Central Florida), Tony Sos (Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna, Ruffier & Sos LLP)

Janet Larue and UCP of Central Florida's President and CEO Dr. Ilene Wilkins

Chas Bailes (President, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits) and UCP students discuss what its like to attend UCP

Presenting Sponsors Dr. and Mrs. N. Donald Diebel share the ways the community can contribute to UCP's mission

Jess Bailes and Erik Guanche

Dr. Pamela "Sissi" Carroll (Dean of Community Innovation and Education at UCF) and Jared (UCP Student) share co-host duties, provide two unique perspectives to UCP's importance in the community

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| BUSINESS SEEN

UCF SMART CITIES The University of Central Florida hosted Data Science Summit: Smart Cities of the Future on Oct. 19 to discuss Orlando’s future as a smart city. Held in partnership with the National Science Foundation’s South Big Data Hub, the event drew about 200 people from the academic, industry and government sectors to discuss what is new in infrastructure development, mobility and financial technology.

Panel moderator Dr. Lea Shanley, co-executive director of South Big Data Innovation Hub, and Diane Sears, i4 Business editor-in-chief, with UCF mascot Knightro

Summit moderator Dan Eilen, Associate Director, UCF Master of Science in Data Analytics Program

Fintech panelists Eshwar Venugopal, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, UCF College of Business), Christo Pirinsky, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, UCF College of Business), Ernest Rolfson (Founder and CEO, Finexio), Manuel Roggero (Royal Bank of Canada)

Ivan Garibay, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science, Program Director UCF Master of Science in Data Analytics

Dave Hopping, President, Siemens Building Technologies North America

Student discusses his poster

i4Biz.com | DECEMBER 2018 | 63

Watercooler

Stuff you didn’t know you wanted to know

30%

Inbound flights from Canada to Orlando, the highest amount in the state. Fort Lauderdale receives 28 percent, Miami 14 percent and Tampa/St. Petersburg 11 percent.

Source: Canada Consulate General in Miami

"My vision is that the CFITO should be the first place businesses visit when they’re thinking about exporting and importing. … The CFITO is the perfect place to serve as the nexus between Central Florida and the world."

— Chris Leggett, who became program manager at the Central Florida International Trade Office in October

2.7% Unemployment rate in metropolitan Orlando for September — down from 3.4% in August Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

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#4

“Rita and I were both educational pickpockets early in our careers.”

— Recently retired Seminole College President Dr. Ann McGee, speaking about her friend retired Rollins College President Rita Bornstein, during an acceptance speech at the annual Junior Achievement awards dinner in October.

"

IT SEEMS AT SOME POINT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THE JETSONS RUNNING AROUND HERE. — Lee Constantine, Seminole County commissioner, commenting at a public meeting about Parkside Place, a $2 billion futuristic project proposed for the site of the former Flea World. It would include three 10-story towers, rooftop food gardens, self-driving buses, drone delivery landing pads, and machines that pull drinking water from the air.

Source: Orlando Sentinel

“Economic development is a marathon, it is not a sprint.” ” — Fred Hawkins Jr., Osceola County Commission chair, at event celebrating the completion of the first lot of semiconductor wafers at the BRIDG manufacturing facility at NeoCity

Orlando’s ranking in the Top 10 Overall Real Estate Prospects from the annual Emerging Trends in Real Estate survey by the Urban Land Institute. Dallas topped the list, while New York-Brooklyn (#2), Orlando and Tampa (#10) made the top 10 for the first time in the report’s 40-year history.

200,000 Number of new jobs that will be needed by 2030 in Orange County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, according to the Florida 2030 Report by the Florida Chamber Foundation. Osceola will need 87,000 more jobs and Seminole 29,000.

Source: Orlando Business Journal

Located at ®

A CATALYST FOR GROWTH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IV

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY

VI

NEOCITY

X XVI XVIII XX XXIV XXVII

XXX

Transforming Human Interaction

Ideate, Create, Innovate Without Limits

THE TECHNOLOGY Continuously Moving Forward

A GLOBAL LEADER OF INNOVATION Forging Collaborative Relationships

THE WORKFORCE An Economic Transformation to the Central Florida Region

NEOCITY ACADEMY A Project-Based, Inquiry-Driven Learning Environment

INDUSTRY-LED COLLABORATIONS A Community of Innovation

IMEC A Trusted R&D Partner

SIEMENS Establishing Digital Twin Solutions

ON THE CUTTING EDGE Photography provided by Seamus Payne, courtesy of Skanska

BRIDG BRINGING NEW LIGHT TO INNOVATION

BRIDG | III

ON THE CUTTING EDGE

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY Transforming Human Interaction Driven by the “Internet of Things,” advanced microelectronics are transforming human interaction with the world. From cars and homes to medical and personal fitness equipment, the growing demand for integrated devices requiring advanced technology is rapidly multiplying, powering a new era known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As this trend grows, new cutting-edge manufacturing processes are necessary to keep up with the pace of the microelectronics-driven economy.

As a not-for-profit, public-private partnership, BRIDG offers a unique combination of tools, talent, and technology that industry, academia, and individuals from around the world can leverage to transform next-generation concepts for advanced sensors, imagers, photonic devices, and nanoscale electronic systems into prototypes for production.

BRIDG: Positioning Florida for Manufacturing Dominance

Designed as one of the most versatile state-of-the-art 200mm microelectronics fabrication and R&D facilities, BRIDG has nearly 60,000 square feet of laboratory/manufacturing space within a 109,000-square-foot facility that includes two cleanrooms: one operating at Class 100 and one at Class 10,000. BRIDG provides the physical infrastructure and collaborative processes needed for prototyping, testing, and low-volume, high-mix production.

Central Florida is positioned to be a global leader in advancing the most disruptive technology bubble since the invention of the transistor and become a dominant icon in the era of sensors. This is where BRIDG comes into play as one of Central Florida’s most formidable companies focusing on this field.

“By leveraging unique capabilities and holistic solutions, BRIDG accelerates technology commercialization through quantitative and qualitative measures, advanced manufacturing processes, materials and equipment to foster innovation and satisfy gaps across multiple fields,” said Chester Kennedy, CEO at BRIDG.

IV | BRIDG

The Epicenter of Technology Being centrally headquartered at NeoCity’s intuitive community of innovation in Osceola County, BRIDG is poised to become the epicenter for next-generation integrated sensor devices. With roots deeply embedded in the region and state, its location offers vital access to major transportation hubs from the Orlando International Airport and Port Canaveral to Florida’s Turnpike System, strategically providing connection throughout the entire state.

By building upon technology capabilities, processes, and background/ foreground intellectual property, BRIDG accelerates technology commercialization across multiple fields.

Connecting Innovation and Industry By leveraging unique capabilities and holistic solutions, BRIDG accelerates technology commercialization through quantitative and qualitative measures, advanced manufacturing processes, materials and equipment to foster innovation and satisfy gaps across multiple fields.

— Chester Kennedy CEO at BRIDG

A visionary partnership at its core, BRIDG is committed to serving as a catalyst for advancing technology innovation with a mission of economic transformation regionally and nationwide.

Supported by Osceola County, the University of Central Florida, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, and others, BRIDG facilitates the connection between academia and industry by serving as the conduit connecting academic and theoretical to practical and business. Working with its partners, BRIDG is energizing the region and creating an ecosystem with an established cluster of high tech companies intensely focused on the future and industry solutions for next-generation nanoscale production. BRIDG’s diverse partners include imec, Siemens, Massey Services, and Harris Corporation among others to collectively serve as a global magnet for innovation and catalyst for economic growth.

“BRIDG is an important catalyst to boosting our state’s economic landscape and strength in technology innovation,” said Dr. Bob Porter, executive director of economic development and strategic initiatives for Osceola County. “BRIDG provides industry with broad business development initiatives which are focused on revenue generation, long-term sustainability, and cost-effective access to new technologies.”

BRIDG is an important catalyst to boosting our state’s economic landscape and strength in technology innovation.

— Dr. Bob Porter Executive director of economic development and strategic initiatives for Osceola County

BRIDG continues to develop and acquire advanced technology tools and platforms with the economy of scale needed for cost-effective manufacturing. With many of the core tools installed and qualified, BRIDG recently achieved critical milestones with the successful processing of its first patterned wafer in May 2018 and the processing of its first few lots of wafers this summer. The BRIDG team is now in the midst of developing processes and new integration schemes for device wafers being transformed from a university lab into the manufacturing environment.

As BRIDG emerges as the epicenter for nanotechnology, photonics and smart sensor innovation, the increased access to technological markets, workforce development opportunities and high-quality jobs will be undeniable.

BRIDG | V

NEOCITY

NEOCITY: IDEATE, CREATE, INNOVATE WITHOUT LIMITS

VI | BRIDG

NeoCity is generating incredible momentum, positioning Central Florida as an innovation epicenter in smart sensors, photonics, and optics.

SPACE COAST

— Don Fisher, Osceola County Manager OSCEOLA COUNTY

Osceola County:

18th fastest-growing county in the U.S.

Located less than 20 minutes from the Orlando International Airport and within a mile of the Florida Turnpike is NeoCity – a 500-acre masterplanned intuitive community of innovation in Osceola County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.

Population:

Considered among the most forward-thinking, daring, and visionary moves Central Florida has seen since the development of Lake Nona, NeoCity provides a progressive ecosystem beyond the traditional research or science park environment by connecting people with the community and surrounding natural landscape through its walkable and urban framework. With a name that signals a new horizon for the region’s high-tech economy, NeoCity is strategically positioned to capitalize on the collaboration between high-tech industries and universities while leveraging the strength of the Orlando region as Florida’s focal point for technology development.

325,300 expected to double by 2040

Long-term economic impact: $25.3 billion to $28.5 billion

“NeoCity is generating incredible momentum, positioning Central Florida as an innovation epicenter in smart sensors, photonics, and optics,” said Don Fisher, Osceola County Manager. “We expect this development to be a gamechanger for these industries and high-wage job creation in Osceola County.”

BRIDG | VII

NEOCITY

Center for Neovation and Cornerstone of the High-Tech Community As the “Center for Neovation” and envisioned cornerstone of the high-tech community, NeoCity is transforming Osceola County and Florida’s economy, providing a diversified and competitive advantage on a global scale.

Just two years ago, NeoCity was an open field. Today, it is home to BRIDG, a highly versatile 200mm microelectronics fabrication and R&D facility focused on microelectronics innovation. As a notfor-profit organization for advanced sensors, semiconductors, photonics, and other advanced nanoscale systems, BRIDG manages a 109,000-square-foot facility with nearly 60,000 square feet of laboratory/manufacturing space that includes two cleanrooms: one operating at Class 100 standards and the other at Class 10,000. BRIDG provides the necessary infrastructure for advanced manufacturing development to bridge the gap between advanced research at universities or industry innovators and costcompetitive manufacturing of new products tied to connected devices and the “Internet of Things.”

In addition to this, there are several new efforts which are underway in the area, namely the construction of a new Class A office building, which is almost at capacity in tenant reservation, road and signage construction and several industry partner projects which are in formation.

“We are thankful to Osceola County, the University of Central Florida, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council for their visionary leadership and invaluable support,” said Chester Kennedy, CEO at BRIDG. “Osceola County is becoming a hub for high-tech jobs and innovation, and it is amazing to witness this growth every day.”

VIII | BRIDG

NeoCity is also home to the imec USA Nanoelectronics Design Center, NeoCity Academy’s trailblazing STEM-based magnet high school, and others to come. Additionally, woven into the tapestry of NeoCity’s impact is the University of Central Florida’s strong commitment to partnership and innovation shown through its support of BRIDG and NeoCity partners. With significant partners and a thriving culture for innovation, NeoCity is building a worldclass infrastructure and crafting a life-changing roadmap to attract more industry and academic partners and create more high-quality job opportunities for a better future.

“With our local and global partners, we will create new solutions and economies of scale to transform the smart sensor industry, while diversifying the economy to lift our community,” said Dr. Dale Whittaker, president of UCF. “That’s what happens when you bring together the best minds from the research labs and manufacturing centers with future-focused government leaders.”

Intensely focused on the future, these partners collectively serve as a global magnet for innovation and catalyst for economic growth. NeoCity is currently responding to interest from a variety of companies in industries that are focused on this technological and innovation-focused ecosystem. To request more information, contact info@neocityfl.com.

“This world-class infrastructure continues to create new avenues for financial success, charting a course toward a better future with a long-term economic output of $25.3 billion to $28.5 billion,” said Christina Morris, economic development manager for Osceola County.

“NeoCity is a testament to the accomplishment of partners aligning for the greater good of a region and visionaries leading the way,” said Ed Schons, president of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

MASTER PLAN

BRIDG | IX

THE TECHNOLOGY

THE TECHNOLOGY Technology: Continuously Moving Forward to Meet Milestones A growing array of technology tools fills the BRIDG wafer-fabrication foundry, propelling the publicprivate partnership to be increasingly useful to hightech industries by manufacturing semiconductor solutions that enable advanced high-density and secure integration of multi-chip systems, nextgeneration cryptography, smart sensors and platforms that enable sensors for the “Internet of Things.” Since conception, BRIDG has successfully completed installation of a core set of 200mm wafer-processing tools to enable researchers and electronics product companies to research and produce high-performance systems, sensors, security devices, 2.5D/3D packaging, and advancedsystem miniaturization that allow BRIDG to offer industry solutions for next-generation nanoscale production. And in July 2018, BRIDG reached a X | BRIDG

major milestone as it successfully started processing its first lot of functional wafers for a resistive randomaccess-memory (ReRAM) technology, which enables next generation cybersecurity cryptographic solutions.

While individual tools in the BRIDG foundry enable individual wafer “process steps” to be performed on a wafer, the real value of a foundry like BRIDG is when multiple process steps are sequentially performed on a wafer to create a complex arrangement of specialized materials for an intended specific function. These function-specific collections of “steps” are generally called a “process flow” or “process technology.” Some examples of process technologies in the semiconductor industry today include several varieties of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS), and many more.

BRIDG has identified its initial process technologies to be:

•

Advanced System Integration—this includes heterogeneous 2.5D and 3D chip integration using techniques for systemin-package, wafer-level fanout, and die-level stacking.

•

Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM)—this enables a very unique Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) capability, which is positioned to be a key root-of-trust for nextgeneration systems by enabling more robust cryptography and chip-level “fingerprinting.”

•

Epitaxial III-V Wafer Growth—this is the production of wafers with special crystalline materials “grown” on top. These materials are from the III and V groupings on the periodic table of elements such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP) and indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), and are useful for creating functions like lasers, photocouplers, radio-frequency devices and many types of sensors and other devices.

These process technologies are usually performed on silicon wafers to create chips designed to transfer and guide electrical currents to perform desired functions such as sensing, processing, transmitting or storing information. The fundamentals of

manufacturing chips boil down to specialized semiconductor tools that perform the process steps of either adding or subtracting nanoscale-thin layers of specialized materials on an ultra-flat 200mm-diameter wafer of silicon. Wafers are processed with multiple layers of various materials that are applied in very specific shapes, then the wafers are cut or diced into small chips that can be integrated into a system or product.

BRIDG’s arsenal of semiconductor processing tools includes tools for photolithography, etching, doping, cleaning, and dicing.

These numerous and diverse tools for chip production are the production backbone of the semiconductor industry.

The complicated work requires not only state-of-the-art manufacturing tools but a facility with the necessary computer systems, gas and electric lines, hazardous materials systems, high-quality water, air-purification systems, and anti-vibration technology to protect against contamination or defects that could flaw the production process of such nanoscale hardware features.

“We operate a world-class wafer fabrication facility, and it is imperative to maintain a wide assortment of semiconductor processing tools with the proper facilities infrastructure to support multiple process technologies,” said Chester Kennedy, CEO of BRIDG. “The pace of activity at BRIDG continues to accelerate.”

BRIDG | XI

THE TECHNOLOGY

Advanced System Integration Platform BRIDG’s bread-and-butter capabilities are centered around its advanced system integration platform, which enables the high-performance integration of multi-chip systems. For example, using ultra-highdensity interposer techniques, BRIDG is able to build and assemble electrical signal paths between multi-chip systems using micro-contact arrays at a pitch (or spacing) of 10 microns or less. BRIDG’s current photolithography capabilities allow it to build chip features as small as 0.5 micron, which enables ultra-dense metal interconnect (or “wires”) between chips with (or using) interposers and redistribution-layers of metal wiring. BRIDG also plans to acquire an additional photolithography tool with capabilities down to 0.05 micron, or 50 nanometers (50nm). For comparison’s sake, note that the average width of human hair is 50 microns. BRIDG also holds the distinction of being the only open-access 200mm facility in the United States with the ability to implement copper and gold metals for electrical signal interconnect.

Most other 200mm foundries use aluminum, which is generally inferior for electrical signal performance.

As the Advanced System Integration platform evolves, BRIDG will be providing capabilities to support the heterogeneous device integration schemes illustrated in Figure 1. These capabilities will address the complex and diverse needs required for system integration. As transistor technology is approaching the limit of Moore’s law, further integration schemes are needed to meet the technological demands. The demands cannot be met using a standalone or single process like flip chip.

Competency in multiple processes needs to be developed that can be applied in a holistic manner to ensure system design and operational parameters are being met.

Micro-contacts Eutectic bonding

BRIDG holds the distinction of being the only open-access 200mm facility in the United States with the ability to implement copper and gold metals for electrical signal interconnect.

Long Term Integration Capabilities

Cu-pillar solder bonding

Complex Interposer Copper Thru Si Vias

Bond pads Redistribution layers

Wafer-to-wafer bonding

Vias Underfill

Ceramic/Silicon/Glass

Substrate engineering

PCB

Figure 1: Heterogeneous device integration capabilities XII | BRIDG

BRIDG Proprietary –- DOES NOT CONTAIN EAR TECHNOLOGY OR ITAR CONTROLLED TECHNICAL DATA

2

ReRAM Process Technologies Among the first chip process technologies that BRIDG is concentrating on is a Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) process, which is currently in the process qualification phase. The ReRAM process will enable the creation of an array of data memory bits (or cells) made of programmable resistive elements instead of transistor-based memory bits.

While ReRAM is a hot topic among chip makers because of its ability to offer memory capability at a lower cost in a smaller package compared to other high-end computer memories, BRIDG’s initial focus will be enabling its partners to have a different usage capability: utilizing ReRAM technology to create arrays of Physically Unclonable Functions (PUF), based on physical variations that naturally occur during semiconductor manufacturing, making it possible to uniquify or “fingerprint” otherwise identical chips. This ReRAM-PUF technology serves as unique identities for semiconductor devices enabling the basis for next-generation cryptography. PUFs may be implemented in integrated circuits to protect computerized data by generating a unique digital fingerprint or encryption method. This technology is of particular interest to the Department of Defense and cybersecurity systems companies.

Microelectromechanical Systems Technologies BRIDG also has the wafer-level processing tools and capabilities to enable the creation of silicon photonics and Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technologies extensively used in biotechnology, medical, and communications fields. MEMS technologies can enable the creation of microsensors capable of generating, manipulating and detecting light for use in high-performance computing and sensing. Other abilities include designing and fabricating devices that determine temperature, pressure, chemistry, motion (with accelerometers and gyroscopes), position, and the presence of magnetic fields, radiation, and other energy forms.

BRIDG | XIII

THE TECHNOLOGY

III-V and GaN Technologies BRIDG enables open innovation platforms using advanced materials and device development lines, which can accelerate the commercialization of new sensors and other technologies. BRIDG’s technology initiatives in III-V deposition tools and other materials pave the way for sensors, photonics, optics, and advanced integrated devices to support diverse industries, including biomedical, agricultural, environmental and RF communications. BRIDG will initially offer epitaxial growth of III-V materials such as GaAs and InP on 150mm and smaller wafers. Over time, BRIDG will also offer lithographic device processing capabilities on these smaller wafers. BRIDG also has a goal of providing GaN epitaxial growth and device processing on 200mm wafers, which would make BRIDG one of very few places in the world with open GaN foundry capabilities of growth and processing under one roof.

Leading-Edge Technology Development BRIDG plans to acquire additional tools in the next three to five years, ensuring it to be more advantageous and attractive for manufacturers from health, aerospace, defense and other industries. While most of the core tools are now installed and qualified for use, additional tools are planned for future technology platform growth. Expansion capabilities for BRIDG were planned from inception to be significant and flexible.

“The key to maximizing BRIDG’s value is to continue adding wafer processing tools that support leading-edge technology development,” said Kennedy. “Each high-value tool, when installed and characterized, opens up new market potential from industry and enables additional research options, all while attracting companies to witness an enduring presence at NeoCity. These fully operational tools are the key to unlocking the economic transformation of the region.”

XIV | BRIDG

Change

is on the horizon.

Insiders know what is happening in the Florida High Tech Corridor and they are excited – excited for emerging new industries, recognition from around the world, a friendly business climate and more. It’s easy to catch the feeling when partners from around the region are working together toward a better tomorrow.

The Corridor is an agent for change.

A regional economic development initiative of:

To learn more and see how you fit into a changing landscape, visit FloridaHighTech.com.

ACADEMIC CONNECTIONS

By leveraging a growing list of industry partners and the existing strengths of academic partners, BRIDG strengthens Florida as a global leader of innovation. — Gloria LeQuang Director of marketing and community relations for BRIDG

A GLOBAL LEADER OF INNOVATION XVI | BRIDG

Historically, academic research in university labs develops as ideas in a silo, often testing the bounds of theory and technology with little concern as to how each will ultimately transpire in practical applications. Conversely, industry implements a different approach: Businesses that leverage technology must advance that technology to develop and deliver products and services while remaining profitable. The gap between each of these approaches is the subject matter expertise of BRIDG. The public-private partnership becomes the conduit connecting academic theory with business practicality.

Forging Collaborative Relationships Poised to fuel the next disruptive market explosion, STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and math) education is quickly evolving to keep up with the exponential growth and evolution of technology. As Florida’s educational system offers the population with experience and relevant skills focused on STEM, BRIDG has become recognized as a significant high-tech anchor uniting higher education interests around common goals and providing reasons for academic cooperation.

Florida is home to an exceptional quality of research universities that consistently earn high marks for world-class programs in engineering, optics and photonics, biotechnology and more. BRIDG is strategically positioned to forge collaborative relationships with top-ranked educational systems throughout the state and across the country as it offers numerous opportunities to share equipment and conduct needed research to profitably power the next-generation sensor-based economy.

BRIDG has formed powerful alliances with world-class institutions and universities beginning with the University of Central Florida and including others such as the University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida Polytechnic University, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

“By leveraging a growing list of industry partners and the existing strengths of academic partners, BRIDG strengthens Florida as a global leader of innovation,” said Gloria LeQuang, director of marketing and community relations for BRIDG.

UCF: Leading the Charge As a not-for-profit organization, BRIDG is enabled through the support of founding visionary stakeholders and partners. At the core of that support is the University of Central Florida (UCF), one of the largest universities in the United States with more than 67,000 students and over 215 degree programs at 13 colleges.

Recently named one of the nation’s most innovative colleges for the second year in a row by U.S. News & World Report, UCF provides an environment full of groundbreaking research and opportunities to grow, learn and succeed. UCF is an emerging preeminent research university in Florida and promotes economic development in the region by aiding in the transfer of technology and other discoveries between university and industry to create next-generation ideas and products. It is one of the main pillars setting the foundation for success at BRIDG and its infrastructure assets in NeoCity. Its foundational support and collaboration with BRIDG further strengthen UCF’s commitment to research and commercialization, leading the charge for innovation.

“UCF has embraced the power of place-based innovation clusters that offer impactful new learning experiences for our students, and expanded research opportunities for our faculty,” says Thad Seymour, UCF’s vice president of partnerships and chief innovation officer.

By attracting the best educational institutions from across the nation, BRIDG provides Central Florida and the state with a global competitive advantage in the development of emerging technologies, leading to tomorrow’s innovations.

BRIDG | XVII

THE WORKFORCE

THE WORKFORCE The Workforce: An Economic Transformation to the Central Florida Region While many people may think of Florida as “Vacation Central” with its abundant sunshine, warm temperatures, and tourist attractions, technology insiders know better. With a talent pipeline of more than 500,000 students within a 100-mile radius, Central Florida is one of the nation’s fastestgrowing employment markets, ensuring an increasing labor pool well into the future. The Orlando region welcomes about 1,000 new residents a week and has one of the youngest median ages in the state at just below 37 years old. These residents are highly educated and diverse, contributing to Florida’s long, unique and vibrant history as a diversified, high-tech hub that continues to compete as a world leader in innovation.

XVIII | BRIDG

Innovative High-Tech Industry & Talent Pipeline Among the most efficient and effective economies in the nation, Central Florida understands its business climate, workforce and success trajectory. From pro-business tax structures and sound infrastructures to skilled talent pools and a high quality of life, the region often ranks among the most desirable locations in the world. Most recently, Forbes magazine ranked the Orlando region at the top for manufacturing and STEM job growth, and at No. 2 for high-wage job growth in the nation.

“Central Florida has longstanding and world-recognized strength in hightech industries including optics, photonics, simulation, aerospace, and defense,” said Gloria LeQuang, director of marketing and community relations for BRIDG. “It is definitely ‘the other half’ of the Orlando region that many are starting to realize.”

Florida retains the third-largest workforce nationally, delivering more opportunities, prospects, and experiences for those seeking employment, to start a business, to expand a company or to relocate a corporation.

With more than one-third of the state’s total talent pool based in Central Florida, the region’s high-tech industries have attracted, established and sustained a skilled workforce since the days of the space race. As the number of innovative companies continues to grow in step with increased demand for high-tech talent, efforts to maintain a sustainable pipeline of affordable, educated, highly skilled workers will be key.

Impact of BRIDG Demonstrated in other technology and innovation clusters across the United States, BRIDG presents Florida with opportunities to diversify its economy and foster innovation on a global scale through its state-of-theart infrastructure and R&D capabilities for microelectronics fabrication.

Florida ranks among the top destinations for small and large businesses seeking to take root and establish long-term growth.

— Ed Schons President of the Florida High Tech Corridor

Located at NeoCity – a 500-acre master-planned intuitive community of innovation in Osceola County – BRIDG is a unique public-private partnership that is at the heart of a technology-based economic transformation currently taking place in Central Florida and positively impacting the entire region and state. BRIDG was enabled by investments from founding visionary partners – Osceola County, the University of Central Florida, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and other partners – in efforts to strengthen the nation’s innovative initiatives and cutting-edge research advancements. Employment opportunities generated directly and indirectly by BRIDG include high-wage, high-skill jobs ranging from positions for employees with technical certificates up to advanced degrees, offering substantial potential for multiple career paths.

“Florida ranks among the top destinations for small and large businesses seeking to take root and establish long-term growth,” said Ed Schons, president of the Florida High Tech Corridor. “BRIDG is breaking new ground, capitalizing on the area’s strengths and growing our high-wage, high-skill economy.”

As NeoCity develops its technology district into a hub for nanotechnology, photonics and smart sensor innovation in Osceola County, increased access to technological markets, enhanced workforce development opportunities, and boosted high-pay industry jobs will continue to become more prevalent.

BRIDG | XIX

NEOCITY ACADEMY

NEOCITY ACADEMY: A PROJECT-BASED, INQUIRY-DRIVEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Inaugural class:

107 students Female:

25% XX | BRIDG

In August 2018, NeoCity Academy’s inaugural ninth-grade class embarked on a journey of differentiated learning, connecting and mobilizing a diverse group of students, teachers and community members, ranking among the robust frontrunners of learners in the country.

As a STEM-based high school offering rigorous and immersive learning, NeoCity Academy provides unique, transformative and powerful educational opportunities for Osceola County students who yearn for a better world and remain eager to influence it.

“The magnet school transpired under the theory that an institution where students own learning is fundamentally more impactful than one where they do not,”

said Dr. Debra P. Pace, superintendent of the Osceola County School District.

NeoCity Academy actively engages students with inquiry-driven, projectbased learning with the ultimate goal of positively contributing to the world. The guiding principles include forming ideas, impacting knowledge, designing with a purpose, and innovating without limits.

Forming Strong Partnerships NeoCity Academy is a unique partnership interconnecting the school district, the University of Central Florida, and BRIDG. “Professor participation from different universities simultaneously provides research and development opportunities that become best practices in STEM

Renderings provided by LITTLE® Diversified Architecural Consulting

education,” Pace said. “NeoCity-based companies are strongly encouraged to support the high school through handson, experience-based activities.”

demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and implementation deemed critical to master the subject, leading to a higher understanding of learning.

Through its partnership with UCF, students will be allowed access to courses that are beyond the limits of the K-12 curriculum.

The school also plans to host guest instructors from UCF, BRIDG, and other companies located at NeoCity or nearby within the region. Additionally, students have the option of Dual Enrollment courses through the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. The classes will be delivered virtually, which means students can take their courses right on campus using their device.

In addition to regular work, faculty identify specific projects each quarter and incorporate a standard rubric tailored to the particular subject. As such, teachers can identify areas of growth and challenge per student to help shape individualized instruction.

of student learning is through the projects, not quizzes and tests.”

In addition to the trailblazing learning environment at NeoCity Academy, the School District of Osceola County recently became the first school district in the world to join the SEMI Foundation’s SEMI High Tech U (HTU) Certified Partner Program, a curriculum that prepares high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

Teachers practice differentiated learning to meet the individual abilities and needs of students, acknowledging areas of growth and challenge.

In traditional classrooms, students might complete small projects, but the final assessment of student progress is a test.

NeoCity Academy students learn in a 1:1 laptop environment and have the responsibility, accountability, ownership for topic inquiry, and ultimately the presentation of research. Students work in small groups to incorporate combined knowledge into projects.

“We are delighted to partner with SDOC in our common goal to motivate the next generation of innovators,” said Leslie Tugman, executive director of the SEMI Foundation. “The School District of Osceola County is well-positioned to put college-bound high school students on a track that speeds the time from graduation to employment in high technology.

SDOC’s certification is a tremendous benefit for students, the community and employers in the fast-growing Central Florida tech corridor.”

Projects at NeoCity Academy differ from traditional schools by focusing on a backward design process rather than the desired outcome. Teachers approach content creation and problem-solving strategies as designers and ask, “What are key learnings that students should take away from this class?” These projects

“At NeoCity Academy, classes become a series of exercises ensuring student accessibility to the tools needed to complete the required work,” said Michael Meechin, principal at NeoCity Academy.

“Purposeful projects generate stronger student interest and involve multiple steps and drafts. The primary assessment

Together, the School District of Osceola County, the University of Central Florida, NeoCity Academy, BRIDG, and other industry partners provide an unmatched educational experience through a STEMbased high school curriculum enabling students to effectively and purposefully become contributing 21st-century citizens.

The Design Process Approach

1:1 Learning Environment

BRIDG | XXI

KISSIMMEE GATEWAY AIRPORT. WE’RE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING. When location and resources matter, count on Kissimmee.

www.KissimmeeAirport.com

CONSIDER KISSIMMEE GATEWAY AIRPORT

When location and resources matter, consider Kissimmee Gateway Airport, one of the premier general aviation airports in the U.S., located just four miles from NeoCity.

Kissimmee Airport is the airport of choice for thousands of business and corporate jet operators traveling to the Orlando area for events at the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center, Lockheed Martin’s two Orlando locations and to conduct business operations with our world-famous attractions. Recent road and infrastructure projects undertaken by the Airport and the City of Kissimmee have resulted in two areas of “pad ready” developable property.

• Aerovista is suited for light industrial and office park development and features easy access to water and electrical utilities, master drainage and access from U.S. Highway 192 via Dyer Boulevard and Thacker Avenue. Other suitable airport sites for mixed use light industrial are accessed from Hoagland Boulevard, which is currently being upgraded to a four-lane urban road section. Sites in this location range in size from three to fifteen acres.

• The Business Airpark features similar “pad ready” sites for construction of aircraft hangars for small and medium sized general aviation businesses.

Corresponding airport infrastructure includes two runways, 6000 x 100 feet and 5,000 x 100 feet (the largest aircraft we can accommodate are the Boeing Business Jet 737 and Airbus A320 variants); a precision approach (Category I ILS) to Runway 15; and three full service Fixed Base Operators (FBOs).

Our Control Tower is open from 7 AM to 10 PM daily. Several other hangar sites are also available, as well as hangar facilities operated by our airport businesses.

INNOVATIVE INCENTIVES FOR RELOCATING BUSINESSES

Few small cities can match Kissimmee’s pro-business attitude, especially when it comes to aviation. In early 2018 the city created the Aerospace Advancement

Initiative (AAI), to assist with growing aerospace high value and high wage jobs, especially at or around the Kissimmee Gateway Airport. An aerospace company is defined as an entity whose work involves research, design, manufacturing, operations or, maintenance of aircraft or spacecraft. For more information on AAI and all of our city’s economic development incentive, please see www.KissimmeeAirport.org/economicdevelopment.

OUTSTANDING AVIATION AND AEROSPACE EDUCATION

One of the unsung strengths of our airport is our cluster of aviation career training schools on the airport. In addition to our two major flight schools, we have an avionics technician training program and an aircraft Airframe and Powerplant school in full operation. In 2018 we welcomed the inaugural class of 9th grade freshmen to the Kissimmee Air Academy, an aviation focused charter high school located on the airport. We are training the young residents of our community to be the future workforce for the aviation industry, right on our airport. Valencia College, also located in Kissimmee, has engineering and technology career programs, including a specialization in lasers and photonics.

PROXIMITY TO TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HUBS

Given how close we are to NeoCity, the I-4 High Tech Corridor and Florida’s Space Coast, Kissimmee Gateway Airport is the ideal place to land your business in Central Florida. When location and resources matter, count on Kissimmee. For more information, please visit us at www.kissimmeeairport.com

COMMERCIAL USES

INDUSTRY-LED COLLABORATIONS XXIV | BRIDG

A Community of Innovation Sensors, photonics, semiconductor packaging/integration and similar technologies make advanced manufacturing possible. The semiconductor packaging market is expected to grow from $22B to $50B by the end of 2025. Due to its global, talent and infrastructure access, Florida is positioned as the next-generation advanced semiconductor technologies hub with an unstoppable global economy. BRIDG, a unique public-private partnership between industry, academia, and government, continues to drive economic transformation for the region, state and country while helping to bring manufacturing back to the United States.

The ‘Internet of Things’ BRIDG operates a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facility centered on processes for smart sensors, photonic technologies, and next-generation integrated devices. As such, it impacts how the “Internet of Things” (IoT) applies to the manufacturing industry.

New advanced technologies are infiltrating cars, buildings, appliances, medical equipment and personal fitness trackers. Sensors allow cars to drive automatically, enable homeowners to adjust air conditioners, manage security systems from anywhere with an internet connection, count footsteps and focus camera lenses around the ambient light.

BRIDG | XXV

COMMERCIAL USES

Leveraging Partnerships Offering industry solutions for next-generation nanoscale production, BRIDG partners with companies and universities to enable innovative breakthroughs for industry partners serving government and commercial markets, providing an infrastructure vital to test ideas and serve as the bridge to commercialization.

These partners include the University of Central Florida, Massey Services, Siemens, Harris Corporation, Argonne National Laboratories, imec, and Photon-X, among others.

Harvey L. Massey, chairman and CEO of Massey Services, the fifth-largest pest prevention company in the United States, has remained heavily involved with the evolution of BRIDG since its inception. Massey’s visionary role and unwavering support have been essential pieces to bringing BRIDG to fruition.

“I believe BRIDG ranks among the most successful technology projects this community has ever seen,” said Massey. “The best-inclass research and development facility continues to drive forward innovative products significantly impacting how a company influences its customers’ daily lives.”

Massey Services will help develop and leverage cutting-edge sensor technology at BRIDG’s microelectronics facility. To commercialize the technology, Massey Services is collaborating with BRIDG to seek technology validation solutions for product integration development and prototype manufacturing.

Harris Corporation, based in Brevard County, designs and produces some of the most advanced platforms and components that end up in space. As the world leader in hosted payload technology, Harris provides additional system capabilities to satellites originally produced for a single purpose while fulfilling the unique requirement that items designed for space travel remain strong and powerful, yet light and small. Through its long-term partnership with BRIDG, Harris seeks to enhance the reduction of systems through advanced interconnections that use traditional semiconductor manufacturing processes.

By developing the processes to provide millions of electrical connections between integrated circuits, the impact to the future of electrical interconnection will be at the heart of nextgeneration devices such as field-programmable gate arrays and other things that drive computing ability.

Siemens PLM Software, a leading global provider of software solutions to drive the digital transformation of industry, is collaborating with BRIDG to develop technologies for the semiconductor industry that create virtual models or “digital twins” of semiconductor process equipment and devices produced.

Product simulations leveraging the most complete digital twin, prior to actual manufacturing, can produce highly accurate results able to predict real-world performance, to help companies improve yields, increase facility efficiency, decrease manufacturing times, and reduce costs. The work pioneered at BRIDG will accelerate innovation in the manufacturing development of advanced technologies and serve as a basis for the semiconductor industry.

XXVI | BRIDG

The imec USA Nanoelectronics Design Center – imec’s first design center in the United States – is co-located with BRIDG at NeoCity. Belgium-based imec, the world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, creates groundbreaking innovation in application domains such as healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, and energy. Research and development at imec USA is focused on advanced high-speed electronics, photonics, and specialized imagining technologies. The BRIDG partnership with imec USA brings significant THz imaging and Lidar system capabilities to the United States. Capabilities in photonic system integration, implementation and laser transfer printing onto silicon photonics are planned.

Fostering a Spirit of Collaboration As one of the most versatile microelectronic fabrication labs in the world, BRIDG provides a bold platform for advanced manufacturing development to “bridge the gap” between advanced research at universities and product-led industry innovators to become a community of innovation.

“We are transforming Osceola County and Florida’s economy through the power of partnerships, giving us a competitive advantage over advanced, nanoscale manufacturing centers from across the globe,” said Chester Kennedy, CEO of BRIDG.

A TRUSTED PARTNER

IMEC: A TRUSTED R&D PARTNER A Record of Success

In 2016, Belgium-based imec partnered with BRIDG, the University of Central Florida and Osceola County to establish its first U.S.-based design center—imec USA Nanoelectronics Design Center.

Imec is the international leader in complex nanoelectronics research that enables many consumer-recognized, high-value companies to deliver industry-leading electronic products and solutions to the market. Starting in 1984 with an initial group of 70 employees, today imec counts around 4,000 brilliant minds as its workforce.

The center’s turnover grew from a few tens of millions to over half a billion euros over the last 30 years — the bulk of which come from direct collaborations with companies. Imec, in its turn, has evolved from an emerging lab assisting companies to an acclaimed research hub where the electronics community convenes to advance multiple industry technology roadmaps.

The imec success model has been exported all over the world. In 2005, imec together with TNO and with support from the Dutch government established the Holst Centre at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. This independent R&D center develops technologies for wireless autonomous sensor technologies and flexible electronics in an open innovation setting.

In 2008, imec established its first overseas development site in Hsinchu, Taiwan with an R&D department focusing on system development and product prototyping and manufacturing. To better serve its partners, imec has regional partnership offices in San Francisco (USA), Tokyo (Japan), Osaka (Japan), Shanghai (China), and Bangalore (India). Imec extended its global innovation footprint in July 2016 when it selected Florida as the headquarters location for its official USA Design Center.

BRIDG | XXVII

A TRUSTED PARTNER

XXVIII | BRIDG

“Imec is extremely pleased to collaborate with partner organizations in Florida and recognize Osceola County as an interesting location to drive the next phase of growth and innovation,” said imec President and CEO Luc Van den hove. “Together with industrial and academic partners, we aim to develop sustainable solutions and technologies to accelerate innovation and stimulate economic growth.”

Imec USA R&D Center Focus Imec’s research is based on the vision of a better future for the planet and its people. Activities at imec’s center focus on advanced high-speed electronics, photonics, and specialized imaging technologies. Imec has a proven history of revolutionizing these technologies, and they have the potential to be disruptive in many domains significant to the U.S. market.

Imec USA also facilitates collaboration between its Belgium headquarters and U.S.-based semiconductor and system companies, universities and research institutes, and can offer critical services to companies that want to develop and manufacture innovative electronics.

These activities also significantly enhance the BRIDG fabrication operation by acting as a feeder to BRIDG’s manufacturing development facility to align capabilities, produce prototypes, and support low-volume production.

Drawing Attention and Talent to Central Florida Over the next several years, imec and BRIDG anticipate hiring a significant number of scientists, engineers, and administrative personnel while attracting other high-tech companies that focus on products and systems critical to U.S. markets including healthcare, aerospace, security, and transportation.

The potential for new advancements in technology is limitless, and this partnership is poised to shine the global high-tech spotlight on Florida. By collaborating, innovating and working together, BRIDG and imec aim to lift the community to transform the future.

imec, Belgium Headquarters

BRIDG | XXIX

PARTNERSHIPS

XXX | BRIDG

SIEMENS: ESTABLISHING DIGITAL TWIN SOLUTIONS BRIDG is in a unique position to advance innovation in the semiconductor industry with its smart manufacturing wafer fabrication facility dedicated to new product launch in the ‘internet of things.’

—Rob Rudder, Senior Vice President, Siemens PLM Software

As digital technology transforms and traverses diverse industries, these capabilities facilitate the digitalization of semiconductor manufacturing. At the start of 2018, Siemens partnered with BRIDG to launch a milestone within the industry: the first Semiconductor Digital Enterprise Solution. With an in-kind grant to drive the development of digital twin technologies and generate a global difference, the Siemens partnership with BRIDG also leverages an existing 30-year relationship with the University of Central Florida and further solidifies Siemens’ commitment to the Central Florida region.

“The opportunity for BRIDG to team with Siemens and lead the semiconductor industry in digital mapping of the device’s building blocks associated with manufacturing advanced microelectronics is tremendous,” said Chester Kennedy, the CEO of BRIDG. “Partners resembling Siemens assist us in developing and providing commercialization infrastructure, in conjunction with capabilities for proof of concept, custom development, and pilot production. This program lays the foundation for a semiconductor design by establishing digital duplicates for model-based systems.”

Think of the digital twin as a virtual representation of the physical device. Using the digital twin to predict performance and analyze physical performance characteristics creates actionable insight to optimize performance and enhance manufacturability.

Product simulation with digital twins compresses new product introduction cycles, reveals disparate legacy systems, eliminates future process errors and improves fabrication outputs. The combination of expertise establishes, molds and revolutionizes digital twin technologies for the semiconductor industry by providing Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software portfolio to enable BRIDG’s research and development activities.

The initial deployment includes the Tecnomatix® portfolio for plant simulation, Camstar™ Semiconductor Suite and Calibre™ Design and Manufacturing Solutions from Siemens’ recent acquisition of Mentor Graphics. The digital enterprise solution allows companies to streamline and digitize business processes, seamlessly integrating suppliers into the mix to more easily identify issues, improve manufacturing throughput, increase product quality, and reduce overall costs across the lifecycle of products from ideation to realization and utilization.

“BRIDG is in a unique position to advance innovation in the semiconductor industry with its smart manufacturing wafer fabrication facility dedicated to new product launch in the ‘internet of things,’” said Rob Rudder, senior vice president, Siemens PLM Software. “Siemens is proud to partner with BRIDG and provide its digital enterprise solution to help accelerate innovation in the manufacturing development of advanced technologies in smart sensors.”

BRIDG | XXXI

BRIDG SOME FACES OF

CHESTER KENNEDY

FRAN KOROSEC

JOHN CALLAHAN

Chief Executive Officer

Vice President, Program Management

Vice President, Technology

AKINEEDU VELAGA

BRETT ATTAWAY

GLORIA LEQUANG

Vice President, Fab Operations

Director, Business Development

Director, Marketing & Community Relations

MANDY WILCOX

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